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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. court — of a king
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chair — a leader
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pit — in a race
  13. date — the fruit
  14. fine — high quality
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pit — a hole
  18. court — of law
  19. fine — all right
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. court — for sport
  22. bass — the fish
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bass — low music

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