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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: lie · capital · club · coach · plane · pop · ruler · march

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. march — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. capital — a city
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. club — a group
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. capital — money
  11. club — for dancing
  12. march — the month
  13. pop — soda
  14. plane — a tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. pop — to visit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pop — music
  20. march — the month
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lie — an untruth

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