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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 · land · coach · swing · bulb · hand · deal · trunk

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. land — ground
  6. bulb — for light
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. swing — music
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. hand — help
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. land — a country
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hand — in cards
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. swing — to play on
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bulb — for light
  24. land — to come down

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