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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. charge — in control
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. lean — to bend
  6. court — of a king
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pop — music
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — thin
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. charge — a price
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pop — to visit
  19. court — of law
  20. cue — for pool
  21. court — for sport
  22. present — a gift
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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