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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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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: deal · calf · content · charge · race · staff · court · bank

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. court — of a king
  3. charge — electricity
  4. deal — to handle
  5. race — the arms race
  6. staff — employees
  7. race — humankind
  8. charge — in control
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. race — a contest
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. court — for sport
  14. staff — employees
  15. bank — for money
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bank — for money
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. staff — a stick
  20. charge — a price
  21. bank — of a river
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  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