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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 116 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. court — for sport
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. can — a tin
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. court — of a king
  12. land — ground
  13. charge — electricity
  14. land — a country
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. court — of law
  18. land — to come down
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. can — a tin
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — child
  23. firm — a company
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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