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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
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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: coach · fine · wound · roll · degree · shower · present · ruler

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wound — an injury
  5. shower — to wash
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fine — high quality
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. shower — rain
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. present — a gift
  15. fine — all right
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. roll — a list
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. present — the time now
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. degree — temperature

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