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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 116 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. court — of law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — a hint
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. court — of a king
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. charge — a price
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. cue — for pool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. charge — in control
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. court — for sport
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rush — to 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