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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. land — to come down
  3. court — for sport
  4. degree — temperature
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. charge — a price
  8. land — a country
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rush — hurry
  18. charge — in control
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. court — of law
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. land — ground
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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