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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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. current — of water
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. current — happening now
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — to protest
  11. present — there
  12. current — electric
  13. object — an aim
  14. can — to be able to
  15. craft — boats
  16. court — for sport
  17. object — a thing
  18. can — a tin
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. present — a gift
  21. court — of a king
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. present — the time now
  24. bear — the animal

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