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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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468
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: stand · ruler · shower · degree · coach · club · ball · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. shower — to wash
  8. degree — an amount
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. degree — from a university
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stand — to bear
  15. degree — temperature
  16. club — a group
  17. key — for a lock
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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