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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: bore · lie · rush · coach · perch · clip · ruler · court

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. court — for sport
  4. bore — to drill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rush — hurry
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. court — of law
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. court — of a king
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. clip — a video
  24. ruler — for measuring

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