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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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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 · pound · chair · lash · kid · charge · stick · stem

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. court — of a king
  7. charge — in control
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. charge — electricity
  12. chair — a leader
  13. court — of law
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. kid — child
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. court — for sport
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. kid — to tease

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