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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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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: snap · court · band · pit · leaves · ruler · craft · firm

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. firm — a company
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. band — a music group
  9. snap — to click
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. court — of a king
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. court — of law
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. firm — decided
  18. craft — a skill
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. band — a ring
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. court — for sport
  23. firm — steady
  24. pit — a hole

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