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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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. court — of law
  3. current — happening now
  4. court — for sport
  5. current — electric
  6. rule — a law
  7. staff — a stick
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pound — a weight
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. staff — employees
  16. current — of water
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. court — of a king
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. arm — part of the body

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