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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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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — for sport
  3. rush — hurry
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. charge — electricity
  6. court — of a king
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. charge — a price
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. charge — in control
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mine — for digging
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. season — in sport
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. season — of the year
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mine — an explosive

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