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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.

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: pitcher · racket · ruler · lean · court · cabinet · field · mark

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. field — for sport
  3. court — of a king
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lean — thin
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. court — for sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. court — of law
  19. field — farmland
  20. field — a subject
  21. mark — a trace
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lean — to bend
  24. ruler — for measuring

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