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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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — of law
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. scale — size or range
  7. charge — electricity
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. track — a song
  10. current — electric
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. current — happening now
  13. track — to keep track
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. craft — boats
  17. scale — in music
  18. court — for sport
  19. track — a path
  20. craft — a skill
  21. charge — a price
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. charge — in control

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