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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. craft — a skill
  3. cue — for pool
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. suit — in cards
  6. court — of law
  7. march — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. court — for sport
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. swing — music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cue — a signal
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cue — a hint
  20. swing — to play on
  21. court — of a king
  22. craft — boats
  23. charge — in control
  24. mark — a grade

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