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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lean · court · staff · scale · charge · sharp · swing · suit

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. court — for sport
  4. lean — thin
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. court — of a king
  10. sharp — clever
  11. court — of law
  12. lean — to bend
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. staff — employees
  16. charge — electricity
  17. staff — employees
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. charge — in control
  23. swing — music
  24. suit — clothes

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