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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: swing · rule · stem · chair · court · stick

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. swing — in golf
  5. court — for sport
  6. rule — government
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. court — of a king
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chair — a leader
  16. court — of law
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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