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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. cue — a signal
  3. current — happening now
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — a hint
  7. court — of law
  8. cue — for pool
  9. swing — to play on
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. current — of water
  13. court — for sport
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. swing — music
  17. suit — clothes
  18. current — electric
  19. tube — a container
  20. swing — in golf
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. suit — in cards

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