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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 120 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: court · charge · pound · cue · spell · arm · staff · can

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — of law
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. charge — a price
  6. can — a tin
  7. cue — for pool
  8. spell — letters
  9. charge — electricity
  10. spell — magic
  11. staff — a stick
  12. charge — in control
  13. court — for sport
  14. staff — employees
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pound — a weight
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. staff — employees
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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