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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. band — a music group
  4. court — of a king
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — in control
  7. ball — a great time
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ball — a dance
  12. land — a country
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. land — to come down
  21. bore — to drill
  22. land — ground
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ball — a round shape

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