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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: chair · rush · firm · lash · tube · court · charge · press

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. charge — a price
  3. firm — a company
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. tube — a container
  6. press — a publisher
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. press — to push
  11. court — of a king
  12. charge — in control
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. firm — steady
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. firm — decided
  20. press — newspapers
  21. chair — a leader
  22. charge — electricity
  23. court — for sport
  24. tube — the underground

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