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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: key · mug · foot · ruler · rash · cap · coach · swing

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a face
  5. swing — to play on
  6. key — in music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mug — to rob
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cap — of ice
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mug — a cup

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