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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: present · jam · rule · bulb · pit · chest · court · suit

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — clothes
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — for sport
  5. present — the time now
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bulb — for light
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. court — of law
  10. present — there
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rule — government
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pit — a hole
  17. present — a gift
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rule — a law
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. suit — to fit

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