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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
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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: rash · can · game · kick · staff · coach · ruler · nail

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. game — a match
  3. can — to be able to
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. staff — employees
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. staff — employees
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. can — a tin
  14. staff — a stick
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — wild animals
  22. can — a tin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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