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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pop — to visit
  3. current — electric
  4. court — of a king
  5. pop — music
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. object — a thing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. court — for sport
  12. object — an aim
  13. key — for a lock
  14. suit — in cards
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pop — soda
  17. key — the most important part
  18. press — to push
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. suit — clothes
  21. key — in music
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. object — to protest

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