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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. current — of water
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. squash — to crush
  9. court — for sport
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. current — electric
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — to come from
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bark — to shout
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. court — of law
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. court — of a king

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