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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 116 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: mouse · charge · ball · rule · court · row · suit · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. court — of law
  3. rule — government
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. row — a line
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. suit — clothes
  10. court — for sport
  11. charge — in control
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pass — a permit
  14. charge — electricity
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ball — a dance
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rule — a law
  21. court — of a king
  22. ball — a great time
  23. charge — a price
  24. mouse — the animal

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