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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: last · straw · ruler · court · bear · cap · suit · nail

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. last — finally
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. suit — in cards
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. court — of law
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bear — the animal
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. court — for sport
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. court — of a king
  20. suit — to fit
  21. last — final
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. last — to go on

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