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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: ball · season · rush · ruler · straw · coach · leaves · stem

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rush — hurry
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ball — a great time
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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