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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: rule · stand · rock · ruler · coach · roll · cap · bear

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cap — of ice
  5. roll — a list
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — a law
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stand — to bear
  21. roll — a cake
  22. cap — a hat
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rock — music

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