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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
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: court · can · board · object · charge · kid · mug · racket

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — to get on
  3. mug — to rob
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mug — a face
  10. charge — electricity
  11. court — of law
  12. court — for sport
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. can — to be able to
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. can — a tin
  19. kid — child
  20. mug — a cup
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — in control
  23. kid — to tease
  24. court — of a king

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