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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: charge · squash · ball · season · fork · lie · stem · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. squash — the sport
  5. charge — in control
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stem — to come from
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. season — in sport
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ball — a great time
  20. charge — electricity
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. charge — a price
  24. lie — an untruth

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