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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.

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: coach · object · ruler · content · fine · field · sharp · arm

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. sharp — clever
  8. field — for sport
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. content — happy
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. field — a subject
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — an aim
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. content — the amount
  21. object — a thing
  22. field — farmland
  23. object — to protest
  24. content — videos and posts

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