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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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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 · deal · cell · perch · coach · kick · rock · track

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. track — a song
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kick — in football
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. track — a path
  16. rock — music
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rock — a stone
  22. track — to keep track
  23. deal — to handle
  24. perch — the fish

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