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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. court — of law
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. craft — boats
  10. chair — a leader
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. craft — a skill
  14. date — the fruit
  15. court — of a king
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. court — for sport
  18. fine — high quality
  19. ball — a dance
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fine — all right
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pit — a hole

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