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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. court — of law
  4. court — for sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — to come down
  7. charge — in control
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. court — of a king
  11. content — the amount
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. suit — in cards
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. charge — a price

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