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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bass — low music
  3. club — for dancing
  4. march — the month
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. court — for sport
  8. current — of water
  9. club — for golf
  10. current — electric
  11. court — of law
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. chip — to eat
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bass — the fish
  16. march — music
  17. current — happening now
  18. charge — in control
  19. suit — to fit
  20. march — the month
  21. club — a group
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chip — for betting

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