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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: perch · pit · court · club · rest · can · pass · racket

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. can — to be able to
  3. court — of law
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rest — what's left
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. can — a tin
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. club — for golf
  19. can — a tin
  20. court — for sport
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. club — a group
  24. court — of a king

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