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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. net — after costs
  4. court — of law
  5. lean — thin
  6. court — of a king
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. pit — in a race
  12. club — a group
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. net — in sport
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. court — for sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. club — for golf
  19. net — for catching
  20. rush — hurry
  21. club — for dancing
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lean — to bend

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