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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: tube · bowl · clip · suit · ruler · coach · hand · pitcher

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. clip — to cut
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. hand — help
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. clip — for paper
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. clip — a video
  15. tube — a container
  16. suit — to fit
  17. hand — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bowl — to roll

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