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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: coach · mug · wake · kid · mate · ruler · pass · firm

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. kid — to tease
  5. firm — decided
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. firm — a company
  10. mug — a face
  11. firm — steady
  12. mate — a partner
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. kid — child
  15. mate — to breed
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mug — a cup
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — a trail

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