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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: row · ruler · coach · land · court · cue · pit · hide

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. cue — a hint
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — a country
  5. court — of law
  6. row — a line
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. court — of a king
  9. land — to come down
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. court — for sport
  18. pit — in a race
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. land — ground
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pit — a hole

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