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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: ruler · march · chair · lean · coach · safe · root · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lean — thin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. march — music
  10. root — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. march — the month
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. march — the month
  15. lean — to bend
  16. chair — a leader
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. root — the cause
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. root — of a word
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chair — to sit on

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