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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. track — a path
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. current — happening now
  9. track — to keep track
  10. pit — in a race
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. can — a tin
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. court — for sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pitcher — a jug

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