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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 · wound · saw · file · ruler · snap · leaves · swing

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. swing — in golf
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. snap — to click
  9. file — a line of people
  10. swing — to play on
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. swing — music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. wound — an injury
  17. file — a document
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. file — a tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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