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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. club — for golf
  3. rush — hurry
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. court — for sport
  9. pit — a hole
  10. land — ground
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — a permit
  13. land — to come down
  14. court — of law
  15. land — a country
  16. court — of a king
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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