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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. court — of a king
  3. object — to protest
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. object — an aim
  9. court — for sport
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mate — a partner
  12. charge — electricity
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rest — what's left
  15. court — of law
  16. object — a thing
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. charge — a price
  20. pass — a permit
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rest — a break
  24. scale — in music

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