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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 120 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: leaves · saw · ruler · mouse · row · tube · coach · ground

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ground — crushed
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. tube — a container
  12. ground — the earth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. row — to paddle
  16. ground — a position
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. tube — the underground
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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