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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 · lash · jam · charge · chair · pass · mine · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. charge — in control
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. court — for sport
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. charge — a price
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. court — of a king
  12. mine — for digging
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. chair — a leader
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pass — a permit
  24. court — of law

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