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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. court — for sport
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — happy
  10. branch — a division
  11. wake — a trail
  12. court — of a king
  13. ground — a position
  14. court — of law
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. charge — a price
  19. suit — to fit
  20. content — the amount
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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