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

Word bank: club · ball · wind · ruler · coach · bay

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. club — for golf
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. club — a group
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wind — moving air
  18. club — for dancing

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