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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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 — in control
  2. pass — a permit
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. court — of law
  19. bear — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. court — for sport
  23. charge — electricity
  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