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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: coach · season · shower · ruler · mark · fan · row · hand

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. season — in sport
  6. hand — in cards
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. shower — to wash
  12. mark — a grade
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. row — a line
  15. season — of the year
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — help
  21. mark — a trace
  22. shower — rain
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. coach — a trainer

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