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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. present — there
  3. court — of law
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. face — to confront
  6. court — for sport
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. saw — the tool
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. face — part of the head
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. craft — a skill
  17. present — the time now
  18. charge — electricity
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. present — a gift
  23. saw — the tool
  24. face — to point toward

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