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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: field · bear · safe · cue · pit · jam · court · club

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  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 law
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. club — for dancing
  4. court — of a king
  5. cue — a signal
  6. club — for golf
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bear — the animal
  13. field — a subject
  14. club — a group
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. court — for sport
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. field — for sport
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. field — farmland
  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