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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pit — a hole
  5. court — for sport
  6. charge — a price
  7. court — of a king
  8. charge — in control
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. game — wild animals
  11. club — for dancing
  12. game — a match
  13. club — a group
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. club — for golf
  21. court — of law
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pit — in a race

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