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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.

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: file · rule · court · bear · charge · hand · calf · cabinet

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. court — of a king
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. charge — in control
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bear — the animal
  11. court — of law
  12. file — a tool
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. rule — a law
  16. court — for sport
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a line of people
  20. hand — help
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rule — government

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