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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pit — a hole
  5. court — of a king
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. court — of law
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. court — for sport
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. field — farmland
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. field — a subject
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. vault — a safe
  21. deal — to handle
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pit — in a race

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