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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: ruler · bass · coach · bank · chip · hand · lie · dip

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bank — for money
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bass — the fish
  9. chip — to eat
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bank — of a river
  14. lie — to recline
  15. dip — to sink
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. bank — for money
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bass — low music
  24. chip — for betting

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