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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. kid — to tease
  4. firm — decided
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. firm — a company
  7. charge — electricity
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. pit — in a race
  10. scale — in music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. court — of law
  13. kid — child
  14. court — of a king
  15. charge — a price
  16. craft — boats
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. scale — size or range
  20. craft — a skill
  21. firm — steady
  22. court — for sport
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pitcher — a jug

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