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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. court — of a king
  3. firm — decided
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. court — of law
  7. scale — in music
  8. cell — a phone
  9. court — for sport
  10. cue — a hint
  11. current — happening now
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. current — electric
  14. cue — for pool
  15. firm — steady
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. firm — a company
  18. cue — a signal
  19. current — of water
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. pound — to hit hard

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