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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. court — of law
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. club — for dancing
  6. squash — to crush
  7. court — for sport
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. club — for golf
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. squash — the sport
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. charge — a price
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. club — a group
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. charge — electricity
  24. court — of a king

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