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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 116 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: spring · patient · coach · lean · perch · ruler · band · cap

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. spring — the season
  3. cap — of ice
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. perch — the fish
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. band — a music group
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. lean — to bend
  17. cap — a lid
  18. spring — of water
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. spring — a coil
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cap — a hat

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