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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: mark · face · coach · wound · saw · present · prune · ruler

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. face — to confront
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. prune — to trim
  6. face — to point toward
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. present — the time now
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. saw — the tool
  15. present — a gift
  16. prune — to trim
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. mark — a trace
  21. saw — the tool
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. present — there

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