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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. ball — a dance
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. court — of a king
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitch — completely
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ground — crushed
  17. craft — a skill
  18. court — of law
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. snap — to click
  24. coach — a trainer

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