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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. charge — in control
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. charge — a price
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. court — for sport
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rash — a series
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mine — for digging
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rash — hasty
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wake — a trail
  24. dip — a sauce

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