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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. present — the time now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. present — a gift
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mark — a trace
  15. court — for sport
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. current — happening now
  18. court — of a king
  19. mark — a grade
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. deal — to handle
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. present — there

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