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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: coach · staff · ruler · sharp · fine · calf · wake · mark

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. staff — employees
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. fine — all right
  7. mark — a grade
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mark — a trace
  18. staff — employees
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wake — a trail
  24. coach — a trainer

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