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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: hide · ruler · content · coach · pit · land · roll · trunk

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. land — a country
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. land — to come down
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. roll — a list
  14. content — happy
  15. pit — in a race
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. roll — a cake
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. content — the amount
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pit — a hole
  24. land — ground

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