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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mark — a grade
  3. court — for sport
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. pop — music
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. chair — a leader
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. court — of a king
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. court — of law
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. charge — electricity
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pop — soda
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mark — a trace

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