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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pit — a hole
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. court — of law
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. land — ground
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a great time
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ball — a dance
  17. land — a country
  18. club — for golf
  19. court — of a king
  20. land — to come down
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. court — for sport
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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