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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: row · suit · lie · ball · charge · capital · saw · court

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — in cards
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. court — for sport
  8. capital — money
  9. charge — in control
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. capital — a city
  13. saw — the tool
  14. court — of law
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. suit — clothes
  18. court — of a king
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lie — to recline
  22. charge — a price
  23. row — a line
  24. lie — an untruth

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