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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · ball · capital · ruler · coach · rush · prune · leaves

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rush — hurry
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. capital — money
  9. ball — a dance
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. capital — a city
  24. leaves — lets stay

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