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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. court — of a king
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. charge — a price
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bore — to tire
  9. court — of law
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rock — music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. court — for sport
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bore — to drill
  20. mug — a cup
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. charge — in control
  24. mug — a face

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