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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: court · spell · pitcher · staff · ruler · temple · wake · bank

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. court — of law
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. spell — letters
  10. court — of a king
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bank — of a river
  15. staff — employees
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wake — a trail
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. court — for sport
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com