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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: wax · straw · mug · saw · pitch · ruler · coach · court

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. court — for sport
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pitch — completely
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. court — of a king
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. saw — the tool
  22. court — of law
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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