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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pit — in a race
  4. club — a group
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. court — of law
  9. lie — to recline
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. court — of a king
  12. bear — the animal
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. club — for golf
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bear — the animal
  22. court — for sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitcher — a jug

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