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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bound — tied together
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bound — obliged
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. can — to be able to
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. charge — electricity
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. court — for sport
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. court — of law
  15. bound — certain
  16. charge — a price
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. charge — in control

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