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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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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: spell · coach · rule · cue · court · stem · leaves · rash

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. rash — a series
  6. spell — letters
  7. cue — for pool
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rule — government
  12. spell — magic
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cue — a signal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cue — a hint
  19. spell — a short time
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rash — hasty

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