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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. object — to protest
  4. ground — the earth
  5. board — to get on
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. suit — to fit
  9. charge — in control
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. charge — electricity
  13. court — of a king
  14. charge — a price
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — a position
  20. court — for sport
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. board — a committee
  24. row — to paddle

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