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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lean — to bend
  7. land — ground
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lean — thin
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. land — a country
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. court — of law
  19. land — to come down
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. charge — a price
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. court — for sport
  24. charge — in control

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