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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. drill — a practice
  3. court — of a king
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pit — a hole
  7. court — of law
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. court — for sport
  12. roll — a list
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — the tool
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ball — a dance
  18. row — to paddle
  19. craft — boats
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. craft — a skill
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. row — a line

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