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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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. court — for sport
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. charge — in control
  7. stand — to bear
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cue — a hint
  12. charge — a price
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — of law
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. track — a song
  20. cue — a signal
  21. track — to keep track
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. race — a contest
  24. cue — for pool

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