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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. charge — a price
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. saw — the tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. court — for sport
  15. charge — in control
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. court — of law
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. chip — to eat

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