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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: wax · coach · ruler · bowl · rock · fall · cue · lean

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cue — for pool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lean — thin
  8. cue — a hint
  9. fall — the season
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bowl — a football final

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