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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: court · deal · jam · pit · rush · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. court — of law
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. court — for sport
  6. chip — for betting
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. court — of a king

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