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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 124 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. court — of a king
  3. chip — to eat
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. spell — letters
  7. court — for sport
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. land — ground
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. land — a country
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — for betting
  15. court — of law
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — magic
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. land — to come down
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. chair — a leader

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