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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. field — for sport
  3. spring — the season
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. court — for sport
  11. field — farmland
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cue — a signal
  16. court — of law
  17. field — a subject
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bank — for money
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. suit — to fit

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