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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
468
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 · capital · band · mug · can · lie · ruler · wave

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — a cup
  3. can — a tin
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mug — to rob
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. capital — a city
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. band — a music group
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mug — a face
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. band — a ring
  24. can — a tin

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