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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: coach · wave · ruler · stem · kid · charge

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kid — child
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. charge — in control
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. charge — a price
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kid — to tease
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stem — to come from

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