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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: bank · field · roll · wax · wound · ruler · face · coach

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. field — for sport
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bank — of a river
  7. field — farmland
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. roll — a list
  11. field — a subject
  12. bank — for money
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. face — to confront
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bank — for money
  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