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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. rest — a break
  3. charge — in control
  4. fall — to drop
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — a group
  7. court — of a king
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fall — the season
  13. row — to paddle
  14. deal — to handle
  15. charge — a price
  16. club — for golf
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. court — of law
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rest — what's left
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. rest — what's left
  24. row — a line

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