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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.

Words on the sheet
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: ruler · bat · coach · key · ball · racket · roll · hide

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ball — a great time
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. key — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. roll — a cake
  22. key — the most important part
  23. roll — a list
  24. bat — for baseball

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