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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. court — of a king
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. charge — electricity
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. charge — a price
  9. squash — the sport
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rock — music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rock — a stone
  20. saw — the tool
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. court — of law
  24. charge — in control

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