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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: ruler · cap · rule · branch · charge · court · capital · coach

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. charge — in control
  4. court — for sport
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. branch — a division
  7. court — of law
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cap — of ice
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cap — a lid
  12. charge — a price
  13. rule — a law
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. court — of a king
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. rule — government
  22. cap — a hat
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a city

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