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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. court — of a king
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. suit — clothes
  9. field — a subject
  10. fine — all right
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. can — a tin
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. can — a tin
  19. court — of law
  20. fine — high quality
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. field — farmland
  23. can — to be able to
  24. court — for sport

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