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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: deal · tear · bear · firm · coach · wake · ruler · chair

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  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. chair — a leader
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. tear — from crying
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. firm — a company
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. firm — decided
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. firm — steady
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tear — to rip
  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