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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. firm — decided
  5. ball — a great time
  6. drill — the tool
  7. court — for sport
  8. firm — steady
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. court — of a king
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pit — a hole
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. court — of law
  16. drill — army training
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. drill — a practice
  20. ball — a dance
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. firm — a company

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