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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pit — a hole
  4. court — of law
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. club — for golf
  8. pop — soda
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. clip — a video
  12. staff — employees
  13. pop — music
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. club — a group
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. staff — employees
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — to cut
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pop — to visit
  23. court — for sport
  24. hide — animal skin

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