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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. court — of a king
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. toast — bread
  6. pit — in a race
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. court — of law
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. swing — music
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. court — for sport
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. straw — a straw man

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