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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: rock · mouse · foot · charge · swing · court · pop · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rock — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. court — for sport
  5. pop — to visit
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. court — of a king
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. swing — music
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. swing — to play on
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. swing — in golf
  15. rock — a stone
  16. charge — in control
  17. court — of law
  18. charge — a price
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pop — music
  22. charge — electricity
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rock — to move gently

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