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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: mug · bark · charge · race · fine · mouse · trunk · court

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. race — humankind
  3. mug — a cup
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. race — a contest
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. court — of law
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mug — a face
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mug — to rob
  15. charge — electricity
  16. court — for sport
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. fine — all right
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bark — to shout

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