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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. charge — in control
  3. court — of law
  4. charge — a price
  5. court — of a king
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. ball — a great time
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bank — of a river
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. deal — to handle
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ball — a dance
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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