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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 116 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: saw · charge · wake · bay · tube · ball · lean · court

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — in control
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — of law
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lean — thin
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ball — a dance
  22. saw — the tool
  23. court — for sport
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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