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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. suit — to fit
  3. charge — a price
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. charge — in control
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cold — an illness
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mark — a trace
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — in cards
  17. court — for sport
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cold — not warm
  20. court — of law
  21. charge — electricity
  22. court — of a king
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mark — to pay attention

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