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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.

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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: can · rule · root · swing · ruler · mouse · coach · track

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — a law
  6. swing — to play on
  7. track — a song
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. swing — in golf
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — a path
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. swing — music
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. track — to keep track

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