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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.

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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: lean · temple · field · capital · coach · present · ruler · bowl

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — a gift
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. field — for sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lean — to bend
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. present — there
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. field — farmland
  15. capital — money
  16. present — the time now
  17. field — a subject
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. capital — a city
  24. temple — side of the head

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