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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 120 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. ball — a great time
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. court — of a king
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. court — for sport
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ground — the earth
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. court — of law
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. tear — to rip
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pass — a permit

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