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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 120 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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — for betting
  5. charge — a price
  6. court — of a king
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. charge — in control
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. court — of law
  18. wake — a trail
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kid — to tease
  21. rest — a break
  22. kid — child
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rest — what's left

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