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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: coach · rule · nail · stick · deal · pitcher · scale · bank

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bank — for money
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — in music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rule — government
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — for money
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rule — a law
  24. bank — of a river

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