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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. court — for sport
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mug — a cup
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pit — a hole
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. court — of a king
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mug — to rob
  12. club — for golf
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mug — a face
  15. chip — to eat
  16. spring — the season
  17. court — of law
  18. spring — of water
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. track — a path
  24. track — a song

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