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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: charge · mouse · bound · can · patient · cell · ball · court

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. court — of a king
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. charge — a price
  5. bound — certain
  6. cell — in biology
  7. court — of law
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bound — obliged
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bound — tied together
  18. cell — a phone
  19. charge — electricity
  20. court — for sport
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. can — a tin
  23. charge — in control
  24. cell — in a prison

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