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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: hide · court · fall · pit · jam · mate · staff · rash

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. court — of law
  3. rash — a series
  4. fall — the season
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mate — a friend
  15. pit — in a race
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fall — to drop
  19. staff — employees
  20. court — for sport
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mate — to breed
  23. court — of a king
  24. staff — employees

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