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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 116 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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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. cell — in a prison
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. deal — to handle
  7. court — for sport
  8. cell — in biology
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cell — a phone
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. board — to get on
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. court — of law
  16. board — a committee
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pass — a permit
  19. mark — a grade
  20. scale — in music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pass — to spend time

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