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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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Word bank
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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: cell · racket · coach · ruler · bound · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cell — a phone
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bound — certain
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rock — music
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rock — a stone
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise

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