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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — to play on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. march — music
  6. pit — in a race
  7. march — the month
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a match
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. tube — a container
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pit — a hole
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. march — the month
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. tube — the underground
  24. ruler — a monarch

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