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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
468
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: fan · court · craft · degree · pit · ruler · jam · charge

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. court — of law
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. degree — from a university
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. charge — electricity
  12. degree — temperature
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. degree — an amount
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fan — a supporter

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