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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: straw · drill · court · rock · fine · toast · pit · swing

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rock — a stone
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pit — in a race
  9. swing — in golf
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. court — for sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. drill — the tool
  18. toast — bread
  19. court — of law
  20. fine — all right
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. court — of a king
  24. drill — army training

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