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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 116 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
468
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: racket · tube · pit · court · game · fan · bank · charge

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. court — of a king
  5. game — wild animals
  6. charge — a price
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — in control
  9. court — of law
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pit — in a race
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. pit — a hole
  16. charge — electricity
  17. game — a match
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bank — of a river
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bank — for money
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. tube — a container
  24. racket — a loud noise

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