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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stock — shares
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. court — of a king
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. tube — the underground
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pit — a hole
  11. court — of law
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stock — goods
  15. fall — the season
  16. dip — to sink
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. tube — a container
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to tire
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. court — for sport

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