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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. charge — in control
  3. court — of a king
  4. firm — steady
  5. hand — in cards
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. court — of law
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hand — help
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. charge — a price
  15. court — for sport
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. band — a ring
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. firm — decided
  21. band — a music group
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. charge — electricity
  24. firm — a company

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