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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. court — of law
  3. court — for sport
  4. rest — a break
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. net — in sport
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rest — what's left
  14. drill — the tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. net — for catching
  19. court — of a king
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rush — hurry
  22. net — after costs
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — a practice

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