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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. court — of a king
  4. capital — money
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. charge — in control
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. charge — a price
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. court — of law
  14. capital — a city
  15. charge — electricity
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rock — music
  22. mine — for digging
  23. rock — a stone
  24. court — for sport

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