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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. court — of law
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. charge — a price
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. degree — temperature
  12. march — the month
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. court — of a king
  15. charge — in control
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. charge — electricity
  22. degree — an amount
  23. degree — from a university
  24. coach — a trainer

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