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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: staff · trunk · foot · race · rush · can · charge · court

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. race — a contest
  6. can — to be able to
  7. court — of law
  8. rush — hurry
  9. court — of a king
  10. can — a tin
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. charge — a price
  13. race — humankind
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. foot — a measure
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. staff — a stick
  20. court — for sport
  21. race — the arms race
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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