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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. court — for sport
  4. march — music
  5. charge — a price
  6. march — the month
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — of law
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. charge — in control
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mark — a grade
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. foot — a measure
  17. charge — electricity
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. march — the month
  21. court — of a king
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cold — not warm
  24. mark — a trace

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