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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. court — for sport
  3. date — the fruit
  4. mug — a cup
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mug — a face
  7. court — of a king
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. suit — to fit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pit — in a race
  15. court — of law
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mug — to rob
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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