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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · cap · ground · court · fine · pitcher · charge · track

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cap — of ice
  3. court — for sport
  4. charge — a price
  5. row — a line
  6. ground — the earth
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fine — high quality
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cap — a hat
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. track — to keep track
  17. ground — crushed
  18. fine — all right
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ground — a position
  22. court — of law
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. court — of a king

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