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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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Word bank
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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: stand · cabinet · club · squash · pit · court · mouse · fine

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stand — to bear
  6. court — of law
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. squash — the sport
  14. club — a group
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. court — for sport
  17. club — for golf
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pit — a hole
  20. court — of a king
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fine — all right
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. cabinet — ministers

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