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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: pitcher · race · pit · charge · court · racket · date · lie

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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 — of a king
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — in control
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. race — the arms race
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. court — for sport
  9. race — humankind
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. court — of law
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. date — the fruit
  20. charge — a price
  21. race — a contest
  22. lie — to recline
  23. racket — for tennis
  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