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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. court — of law
  3. mug — a cup
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mug — a face
  9. current — happening now
  10. craft — boats
  11. band — a music group
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. current — electric
  14. object — an aim
  15. mug — to rob
  16. court — of a king
  17. tube — a container
  18. dip — to sink
  19. craft — a skill
  20. band — a ring
  21. object — to protest
  22. tube — the underground
  23. court — for sport
  24. current — of water

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