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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. court — of law
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. court — for sport
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — of a king
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mark — a trace
  22. charge — in control
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. charge — electricity

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