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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: ruler · drill · lean · racket · board · straw · coach · deal

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. board — to get on
  4. deal — to handle
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. board — a committee
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. drill — the tool
  18. lean — to bend
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. drill — a practice
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. drill — army training
  24. ruler — for measuring

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