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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. content — the amount
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. court — for sport
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. chair — a leader
  12. court — of a king
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. content — happy
  15. pit — in a race
  16. current — electric
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. current — happening now
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. court — of law
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. current — of water
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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