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

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. court — for sport
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. court — of law
  7. object — to protest
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. lean — thin
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. charge — in control
  16. court — of a king
  17. stem — to come from
  18. lean — to bend
  19. charge — a price
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. object — an aim
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. object — a thing
  24. date — the fruit

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