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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · fan · court · firm · object · ruler · sharp · tear

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — the sport
  12. court — of law
  13. firm — decided
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. squash — to crush
  22. firm — steady
  23. tear — from crying
  24. firm — a company

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