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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. court — of a king
  9. board — a committee
  10. court — for sport
  11. charge — electricity
  12. court — of law
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. present — there
  15. charge — in control
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. can — to be able to
  18. charge — a price
  19. can — a tin
  20. present — the time now
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. present — a gift

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