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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: deal · ruler · mark · pound · land · straw · coach · present

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. mark — a grade
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. land — ground
  7. present — the time now
  8. land — to come down
  9. present — there
  10. pound — a weight
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mark — a trace
  13. deal — to handle
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. present — a gift
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. land — a country
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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