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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — government
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pass — a permit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. root — the cause
  13. rule — a law
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. charge — a price
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. court — for sport
  22. root — of a word
  23. charge — in control
  24. wake — a trail

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