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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 · wind · drill · spring · charge · row · racket · ruler

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wind — moving air
  4. spring — a coil
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. row — to paddle
  8. spring — the season
  9. wind — moving air
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. drill — army training
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. spring — of water
  21. row — a line
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — electricity
  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