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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 · snap · charge · jam · wake · fan · suit · ball

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. suit — clothes
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. charge — electricity
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ball — a dance
  8. court — of law
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. snap — to click
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. court — of a king
  17. charge — a price
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ball — a great time
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. court — for sport
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wake — a trail

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