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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: mouse · lie · content · shower · coach · bay · court · ruler

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. shower — rain
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. court — of a king
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. court — of law
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — happy
  22. shower — to wash
  23. content — the amount
  24. mouse — for a computer

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