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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. staff — a stick
  5. face — to confront
  6. net — in sport
  7. bore — to tire
  8. face — part of the head
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. row — to paddle
  11. staff — employees
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — a tin
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. can — to be able to
  18. net — after costs
  19. face — to point toward
  20. row — a line
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — a tin
  23. bore — to drill
  24. net — for catching

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