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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. court — of a king
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. court — of law
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. charge — in control
  7. rule — government
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rule — a law
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pit — a hole
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pit — in a race
  16. charge — a price
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. game — a match
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bank — for money
  24. charge — electricity

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