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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.

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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 · mine · current · trunk · mug · deal · band · ruler

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. deal — to handle
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. current — happening now
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. band — a music group
  11. mug — a face
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mine — for digging
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. mug — a cup
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. band — a ring
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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