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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. court — of a king
  4. ground — the earth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. present — a gift
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — there
  11. tube — a container
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ground — a position
  14. present — the time now
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ground — crushed
  21. charge — in control
  22. court — for sport
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. tube — the underground

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