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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — a trace
  4. court — of law
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. charge — electricity
  7. court — of a king
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. charge — a price
  18. mark — a grade
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. charge — in control
  24. mark — to pay attention

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