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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 120 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of a king
  4. charge — electricity
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. capital — a city
  7. charge — in control
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. key — in music
  10. charge — a price
  11. pit — a hole
  12. capital — money
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. key — the most important part
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pit — in a race
  20. key — for a lock
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. plane — a tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. court — of law

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