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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. tear — to rip
  3. court — of a king
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bank — of a river
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. charge — a price
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. charge — in control
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. court — of law
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rash — hasty

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