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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pit — in a race
  3. swing — music
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. game — wild animals
  6. court — of law
  7. suit — clothes
  8. court — of a king
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — in cards
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. fine — high quality
  15. court — for sport
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. game — a match
  21. stand — to bear
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bark — to shout

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