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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. kid — to tease
  3. can — to be able to
  4. court — of law
  5. mate — a friend
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. charge — a price
  8. rash — hasty
  9. can — a tin
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — in control
  12. saw — the tool
  13. court — of a king
  14. rest — what's left
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — a partner
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rash — a series
  19. rest — a break
  20. mate — to breed
  21. kid — child
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. charge — electricity
  24. court — for sport

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