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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.

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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 · object · wound · chair · rock · scale · firm · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. wound — an injury
  4. court — for sport
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rock — a stone
  8. firm — a company
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. chair — a leader
  13. object — to protest
  14. court — of law
  15. object — an aim
  16. court — of a king
  17. rock — music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. object — a thing
  21. scale — in music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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