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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. suit — clothes
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. content — happy
  5. bore — to tire
  6. court — of law
  7. chip — to eat
  8. charge — a price
  9. mark — a trace
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. court — for sport
  18. charge — in control
  19. court — of a king
  20. content — the amount
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. suit — to fit

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