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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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. cabinet — ministers
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. can — to be able to
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pit — a hole
  8. can — a tin
  9. net — after costs
  10. craft — boats
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of law
  15. snap — to click
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — a skill
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. net — for catching
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. net — in 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