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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: mate · stick · ruler · drill · kick · bound · pitcher · coach

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bound — certain
  8. drill — army training
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. kick — in football
  13. drill — a practice
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bound — obliged
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pitcher — a jug

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