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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. charge — electricity
  3. row — to paddle
  4. charge — a price
  5. court — of a king
  6. object — a thing
  7. row — a line
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. object — to protest
  12. charge — in control
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bass — the fish
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. court — for sport
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bass — low music
  19. court — of law
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. object — an aim
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stand — for spectators

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