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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. court — of a king
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. charge — a price
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mark — a grade
  8. court — of law
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. charge — electricity
  17. hand — help
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — in control
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. court — for sport
  22. hand — in cards
  23. rest — a break
  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