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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: ruler · toast · file · cue · bark · ground · coach · key

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bark — to shout
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. key — the most important part
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. key — in music
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — for a lock
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ground — the earth
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ground — crushed
  17. toast — bread
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a document
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bark — of a tree

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