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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: court · fine · deal · straw · charge · lean · pitcher · present

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lean — thin
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. present — a gift
  7. charge — a price
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. court — of law
  10. charge — electricity
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. present — there
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. court — for sport
  16. present — the time now
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. court — of a king
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fine — high quality
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fine — all right
  24. charge — in control

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