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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: cabinet · march · coach · racket · spell · press · ruler · stock

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. press — a publisher
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. march — the month
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stock — goods
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. spell — a short time
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stock — shares
  17. march — the month
  18. spell — magic
  19. press — to push
  20. march — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. press — newspapers
  23. spell — letters
  24. racket — a loud noise

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