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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. staff — employees
  7. squash — to crush
  8. staff — employees
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. court — for sport
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. branch — a division
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. court — of a king
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rush — hurry

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