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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. court — of a king
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. charge — electricity
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. charge — in control
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. charge — a price
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mark — a grade
  23. saw — the tool
  24. court — of law

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