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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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — of a river
  3. court — of law
  4. season — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pound — a weight
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. court — for sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bank — for money
  18. season — of the year
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bank — for money
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a match
  24. court — of a king

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