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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. charge — in control
  3. stand — to bear
  4. court — of law
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. court — of a king
  9. rock — music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. land — a country
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. rock — a stone
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — ground
  21. content — the amount
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. court — for sport
  24. content — happy

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