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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: ruler · court · spell · stand · season · straw · board · dip

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. season — in sport
  4. stand — to bear
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spell — a short time
  7. court — of a king
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. spell — letters
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. board — to get on
  14. season — of the year
  15. court — for sport
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. court — of law
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. board — a committee
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. dip — to sink
  24. spell — magic

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