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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · mug · coach · bass · bowl · wound · saw · chair

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. mug — to rob
  3. chair — a leader
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bass — low music
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mug — a face
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ruler — a monarch

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