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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: rule · pop · suit · bay · rest · court · perch · pit

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pop — music
  5. rule — a law
  6. pop — soda
  7. suit — clothes
  8. court — of law
  9. pop — to visit
  10. court — of a king
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rule — government
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rest — a break
  17. suit — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rest — what's left
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pit — a hole

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