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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — of law
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cap — a lid
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pop — to visit
  9. spell — letters
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. spell — magic
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pop — soda
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pop — music
  18. cap — a hat
  19. court — for sport
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pit — in a race

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