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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 · fork · bore · arm · ruler · file · lean · face

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. file — a tool
  5. lean — thin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fork — in a road
  9. face — to confront
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bore — to tire
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. file — a line of people

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