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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mate — a partner
  9. scale — size or range
  10. court — of a king
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bark — to shout
  13. mate — to breed
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — in cards
  16. scale — in music
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. charge — in control
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. charge — a price
  22. court — for sport
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stand — to bear

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