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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: wake · ruler · foot · dip · nail · roll · pitch · court

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — of law
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — completely
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. foot — a measure
  10. roll — a cake
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. roll — a list
  14. court — for sport
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. foot — the bottom

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