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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: bear · ruler · cold · bore · swing · pop · fine · coach

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. swing — music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bear — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fine — all right
  14. swing — in golf
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pop — soda
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cold — not warm
  21. pop — music
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bore — to tire

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