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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. rock — music
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of law
  14. row — to paddle
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. court — of a king
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. row — a line
  22. bark — to shout
  23. arm — part of the body
  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