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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rule — a law
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. vault — a safe
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. squash — to crush
  10. court — of law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bore — to drill
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. court — of a king
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rule — government
  24. bore — to tire

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