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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stock — goods
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. charge — in control
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mark — a trace
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. court — of a king
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — shares
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. charge — a price
  20. court — for sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cue — for pool

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