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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — of law
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pit — a hole
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. swing — music
  20. track — a song
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. swing — to play on

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