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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. file — a document
  3. stand — to bear
  4. court — of law
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. field — for sport
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mark — a grade
  14. field — farmland
  15. mug — a cup
  16. field — a subject
  17. court — for sport
  18. mug — to rob
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. court — of a king
  21. file — a line of people
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mug — a face
  24. file — a tool

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