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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: court · squash · last · straw · stem · ruler · leaves · charge

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. charge — a price
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. last — final
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. last — finally
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. charge — electricity
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. court — for sport
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. court — of law
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. last — to go on
  18. squash — the sport
  19. charge — in control
  20. stem — to come from
  21. squash — to crush
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. court — of a king

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