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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. tear — from crying
  3. charge — a price
  4. bound — certain
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. suit — in cards
  9. tear — to rip
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. court — of law
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pitch — completely
  15. court — for sport
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit

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