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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. kick — in football
  6. pass — a permit
  7. court — for sport
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. band — a music group
  11. spell — letters
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. court — of law
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. band — a ring
  16. charge — in control
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. spell — a short time
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. spell — magic
  24. band — a rubber band

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