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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 120 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: bay · press · coach · saw · rock · trunk · ruler · pitch

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pitch — completely
  10. saw — the tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. press — to push
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. press — a publisher
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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