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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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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: coach · rock · ground · saw · snap · ruler · stand · wake

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ground — a position
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ground — crushed
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wake — a trail
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rock — music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. saw — the tool
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rock — a stone
  24. snap — to click

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