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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. court — of a king
  4. object — a thing
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. current — of water
  8. march — the month
  9. object — to protest
  10. rest — what's left
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. current — happening now
  13. lean — to bend
  14. dip — to sink
  15. ball — a great time
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. court — of law
  18. object — an aim
  19. current — electric
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. court — for sport
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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