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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: coach · ruler · rule · land · cue · date · hand · wave

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. land — to come down
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. land — ground
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. hand — help
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cue — for pool
  21. hand — in cards
  22. land — a country
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rule — a law

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