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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. charge — in control
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ball — a great time
  7. field — farmland
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. court — for sport
  14. drill — the tool
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. drill — army training
  23. ball — a dance
  24. charge — a price

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