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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mate — a friend
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — of a king
  5. file — a document
  6. pit — a hole
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bulb — for light
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bulb — for light
  12. court — for sport
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mate — a partner
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. court — of law
  23. pit — in a race
  24. file — a tool

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