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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 116 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pitch — completely
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. hand — help
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. squash — the sport
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rush — hurry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fork — in a road
  24. rush — to hurry

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