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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · leaves · ruler · present · coach · wound · rash · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. present — a gift
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. present — there
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wound — an injury
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rash — a series
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wound — an injury
  23. game — wild animals
  24. present — the time now

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