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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ball — a great time
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of a king
  8. charge — electricity
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — a tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — a price
  13. pit — a hole
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. charge — in control
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. plane — in geometry

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