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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. court — of law
  3. firm — steady
  4. charge — a price
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. swing — music
  9. pit — in a race
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rule — government
  13. key — in music
  14. firm — a company
  15. court — of a king
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. swing — to play on
  18. court — for sport
  19. charge — in control
  20. swing — in golf
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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