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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: coach · sharp · mark · bass · firm · tube · cap · ruler

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. sharp — clever
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — steady
  8. bass — low music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. firm — decided
  16. mark — a grade
  17. firm — a company
  18. bass — the fish
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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