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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — in control
  4. ground — a position
  5. charge — a price
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. charge — electricity
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cap — a lid
  13. ground — the earth
  14. court — of a king
  15. ground — crushed
  16. cap — of ice
  17. court — for sport
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rush — hurry
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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