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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 120 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: mine · fine · court · ball · charge · mate · pass · coach

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. fine — all right
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mate — a friend
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. charge — a price
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. court — of a king
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ball — a great time
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mate — a partner
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. charge — in control

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