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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 · track · roll · coach · club · fork · leaves · kick

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. club — for dancing
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. roll — a list
  7. track — a song
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — to keep track
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. track — a path
  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