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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 120 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: bank · ruler · rock · march · coach · deal · sharp · fan

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bank — for money
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. march — music
  10. deal — to handle
  11. march — the month
  12. bank — for money
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — music
  21. sharp — clever
  22. march — the month
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rock — a stone

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