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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ruler · last · coach · craft · bay · perch · leaves · jam

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. last — to go on
  3. craft — a skill
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. perch — the fish
  7. last — final
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. last — finally
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. craft — boats
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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