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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. court — for sport
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. court — of law
  8. bore — to tire
  9. charge — in control
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. toast — bread
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. court — of a king
  21. charge — a price
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pass — to succeed

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