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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 116 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: ruler · wake · present · cap · drill · coach

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. 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. wake — a trail
  3. drill — the tool
  4. present — a gift
  5. cap — a lid
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cap — of ice
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. present — there
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. cap — a hat
  16. present — the time now
  17. drill — army training
  18. 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