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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. court — of a king
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. court — for sport
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pass — a permit
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. court — of law
  19. craft — a skill
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. craft — boats
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pitcher — a jug

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