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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: court · bore · bowl · nail · dip · object · cabinet · charge

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bore — to tire
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. court — of a king
  9. object — a thing
  10. charge — a price
  11. court — for sport
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bore — to drill
  16. object — to protest
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. charge — in control
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. charge — electricity
  23. object — an aim
  24. bore — gave birth

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