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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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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: racket · coach · fine · present · rock · wind · ruler · foot

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — the time now
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. present — there
  11. wind — moving air
  12. present — a gift
  13. fine — all right
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wind — moving air
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ruler — a monarch

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