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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. game — wild animals
  4. court — for sport
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. court — of a king
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. drill — army training
  13. game — a match
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. current — electric
  16. court — of law
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour

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