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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 · swing · saw · capital · staff · coach · jam · present

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. capital — money
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. swing — in golf
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. swing — to play on
  10. present — the time now
  11. saw — the tool
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. staff — employees
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. staff — a stick
  18. present — a gift
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. capital — a city
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. present — there

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