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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: bat · charge · court · current · bear · saw · ball · bowl

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. charge — in control
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. court — of law
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ball — a dance
  8. saw — the tool
  9. current — electric
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. current — of water
  13. court — for sport
  14. current — happening now
  15. charge — electricity
  16. saw — the tool
  17. court — of a king
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bat — the animal
  22. charge — a price
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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