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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. charge — in control
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cue — for pool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — a contest
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cue — a signal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cue — a hint
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. race — humankind
  19. court — of a king
  20. pass — a permit
  21. charge — a price
  22. ball — a dance
  23. court — for sport
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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