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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.

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: ruler · lean · swing · fan · bear · nail · coach · cabinet

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. swing — music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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