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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
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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: game · season · ruler · board · coach · ground · file · spell

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. season — of the year
  3. spell — magic
  4. board — a committee
  5. ground — the earth
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. spell — a short time
  11. board — to get on
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ground — a position
  14. game — a match
  15. file — a tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spell — letters
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. ground — crushed
  20. file — a line of people
  21. season — in sport
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. file — a document
  24. board — a flat piece

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