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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. toast — bread
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pit — a hole
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. race — the arms race
  13. court — of a king
  14. race — a contest
  15. court — for sport
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pit — in a race
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. race — humankind
  20. ground — a position
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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