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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — for sport
  4. present — a gift
  5. court — of a king
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. race — the arms race
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. court — of law
  12. race — humankind
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. present — the time now
  15. race — a contest
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. present — there

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