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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. can — a tin
  3. shower — rain
  4. court — of a king
  5. track — a song
  6. charge — in control
  7. rash — a series
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. charge — a price
  12. rash — hasty
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. court — for sport
  15. can — to be able to
  16. court — of law
  17. track — a path
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pit — in a race
  21. charge — electricity
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. can — a tin
  24. shower — to wash

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