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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. dip — to sink
  4. court — for sport
  5. mine — for digging
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. court — of a king
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. suit — in cards
  17. court — of law
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mine — an explosive

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