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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. court — of law
  3. object — an aim
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. court — of a king
  6. bank — for money
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. object — to protest
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. ball — a dance
  17. charge — in control
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. court — for sport
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. charge — a price
  23. object — a thing
  24. ball — a great time

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