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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pop — to visit
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — a position
  6. pop — soda
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. court — for sport
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. pop — music
  15. court — of law
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. ground — crushed
  18. court — of a king
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — a hole
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bass — the fish

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