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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pitch — completely
  11. drill — army training
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. tube — the underground
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. tube — a container
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cap — of ice

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