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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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Word bank
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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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 a king
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cue — a hint
  7. court — for sport
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cue — for pool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. kick — in football
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. cue — a signal
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. court — of law

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