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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. current — of water
  3. court — of law
  4. current — electric
  5. track — a song
  6. current — happening now
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. court — for sport
  10. club — for golf
  11. firm — steady
  12. mate — a friend
  13. court — of a king
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. club — a group
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. club — for dancing
  20. track — to keep track
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. track — a path

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