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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: firm · arm · mouse · mine · court · cabinet · charge · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. court — of a king
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. court — for sport
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. charge — a price
  8. firm — steady
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. charge — electricity
  12. firm — a company
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pop — music
  19. firm — decided
  20. pop — to visit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. charge — in control
  24. court — of law

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