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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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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 · game · bank · toast · rest · court · coach · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. game — a match
  3. game — wild animals
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. toast — bread
  12. court — of law
  13. bank — for money
  14. rest — a break
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. bank — for money
  18. tube — a container
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ruler — a monarch

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