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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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mug — a face
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. current — happening now
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. key — in music
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. current — electric
  12. key — the most important part
  13. court — for sport
  14. key — for a lock
  15. chair — a leader
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. court — of law
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. current — of water
  23. mug — to rob
  24. court — of a king

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