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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 120 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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. charge — a price
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ball — a dance
  5. charge — electricity
  6. march — music
  7. ball — a great time
  8. court — for sport
  9. chair — a leader
  10. mark — a trace
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. march — the month
  16. court — of a king
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. court — of law
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. charge — in control
  23. mark — a grade
  24. game — a match

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