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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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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 · fall · track · straw · key · ruler · object · bay

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — a thing
  9. track — a path
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. track — a song
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. object — to protest
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. court — of law
  18. key — for a lock
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. court — for sport
  21. key — in music
  22. track — to keep track
  23. object — an aim
  24. bay — a horse colour

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