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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: coach · key · spell · board · ruler · branch · foot · march

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. march — the month
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. branch — a division
  5. spell — letters
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. key — for a lock
  10. march — music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. spell — a short time
  13. board — to get on
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. march — the month
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spell — magic
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. foot — a measure
  22. key — in music
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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