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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — to fit
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cue — for pool
  6. vault — a safe
  7. court — for sport
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cold — an illness
  17. court — of a king
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. suit — clothes
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mouse — the animal

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