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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. game — a match
  3. court — of a king
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. kid — child
  6. charge — in control
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bank — of a river
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. toast — bread
  13. bank — for money
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. court — of law
  16. bank — for money
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. game — wild animals
  20. kid — to tease
  21. court — for sport
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — a weight
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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