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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. face — to point toward
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. court — of a king
  5. bound — tied together
  6. present — the time now
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bound — obliged
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. face — part of the head
  11. present — there
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. face — to confront
  15. bound — certain
  16. present — a gift
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. charge — a price
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. charge — in control
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. court — of law
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mine — an explosive

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