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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mark — a trace
  3. court — for sport
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. charge — a price
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. stand — to bear
  8. court — of law
  9. land — a country
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kid — to tease
  13. charge — in control
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. kid — child
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rock — music
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. land — to come down
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. court — of a king
  24. land — ground

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