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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: land · hand · ruler · suit · coach · pit · stick · wave

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. land — ground
  5. land — to come down
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. suit — in cards
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. land — a country
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. hand — help
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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