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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ball — a dance
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fine — high quality
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. court — of a king
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. tube — a container
  12. ball — a great time
  13. court — for sport
  14. date — the fruit
  15. charge — electricity
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mark — a grade
  18. court — of law
  19. fine — all right
  20. charge — in control
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mark — a trace
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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