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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 · face · coach · toast · rest · file · tube · firm

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. firm — a company
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. tube — a container
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rest — a break
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a document
  12. face — part of the head
  13. firm — decided
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. firm — steady
  17. toast — bread
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. file — a tool
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. tube — the underground

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