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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. current — electric
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. current — of water
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. net — in sport
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — of a king
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — low 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