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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: suit · ruler · spring · coach · drill · pound · straw · racket

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. suit — clothes
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. drill — army training
  7. spring — a coil
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. suit — to fit
  10. drill — the tool
  11. spring — of water
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. drill — a practice
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. spring — the season
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. coach — a trainer

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