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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pit — in a race
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. court — of a king
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. club — for golf
  9. branch — a division
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mark — a grade
  12. club — a group
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. court — for sport
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. club — for dancing
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. court — of law
  22. mark — a trace
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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