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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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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: bore · track · ruler · rush · straw · spell · tube · coach

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rush — hurry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. track — a song
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. spell — letters
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. spell — magic
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. straw — dry grass

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