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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. court — of law
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. object — to protest
  7. wake — a trail
  8. object — an aim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. can — a tin
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. object — a thing
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. leaves — of a tree

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