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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. court — of a king
  3. fine — high quality
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — in control
  6. perch — the fish
  7. drill — the tool
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. charge — electricity
  13. prune — to trim
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. fine — all right
  18. swing — to play on
  19. drill — army training
  20. court — of law
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. court — for sport
  23. charge — a price
  24. straw — dry grass

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