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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. court — of law
  3. charge — electricity
  4. tube — a container
  5. date — the fruit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. tube — the underground
  9. court — for sport
  10. rest — a break
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cap — of ice
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cap — a lid
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. charge — a price
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. court — of a king
  24. date — on the calendar

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