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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · arm · bulb · stock · pit · swing · chip · suit

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — for betting
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. court — for sport
  6. pit — a hole
  7. swing — in golf
  8. court — of law
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pit — in a race
  15. swing — music
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. swing — to play on
  19. court — of a king
  20. stock — goods
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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