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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 120 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: court · spell · pit · fine · suit · club · bear · fork

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. court — of law
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — letters
  7. club — a group
  8. court — for sport
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. court — of a king
  13. pit — a hole
  14. suit — clothes
  15. club — for golf
  16. pit — in a race
  17. spell — a short time
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. suit — in cards

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