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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
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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: march · ruler · sharp · cap · coach · bear · toast · pitcher

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. toast — bread
  5. cap — a lid
  6. march — the month
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bear — the animal
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. sharp — clever
  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