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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: lash · ball · coach · racket · rule · ruler · last · bowl

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. last — to go on
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rule — a law
  12. last — finally
  13. last — final
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rule — government
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. racket — for tennis

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