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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fine — all right
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cap — a lid
  7. hand — in cards
  8. court — of law
  9. object — a thing
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pit — in a race
  12. suit — in cards
  13. court — of a king
  14. cap — a hat
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pit — a hole
  17. object — an aim
  18. court — for sport
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. cap — of ice
  21. object — to protest
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. hand — help

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