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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: charge · ruler · leaves · last · row · swing · straw · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. row — to paddle
  3. swing — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. last — finally
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. present — there
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. charge — electricity
  13. swing — in golf
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. swing — to play on
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. charge — a price
  21. present — the time now
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. row — a line

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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