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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. charge — a price
  7. hand — help
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hand — in cards
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. mark — a grade
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. charge — in control
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mark — a trace
  22. court — for sport
  23. cell — a phone
  24. foot — part of the body

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