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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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tube — a container
  9. bank — for money
  10. suit — clothes
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. land — to come down
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. tube — the underground
  21. lie — to recline
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bank — for money
  24. suit — in cards

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