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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. key — the most important part
  3. court — of law
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — a tool
  18. court — for sport
  19. lean — thin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. key — in music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lean — to bend
  24. court — of a king

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