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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. net — for catching
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. court — of a king
  8. roll — a list
  9. charge — electricity
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. court — for sport
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. net — in sport
  17. roll — a cake
  18. net — after costs
  19. charge — in control
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. court — of law
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — to drill

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