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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: lie · court · suit · jam · foot · chip · vault · pound

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. court — of law
  15. vault — a safe
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chip — to eat
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. pound — a weight
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. court — for sport
  24. foot — the bottom

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