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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. court — of law
  13. roll — a list
  14. pit — a hole
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — in control
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. charge — a price
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. key — for a lock
  22. roll — a cake
  23. key — the most important part
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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