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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. court — of a king
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cap — a lid
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. court — of law
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. snap — to click
  22. charge — a price
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bowl — to roll

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