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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. current — electric
  3. rest — what's left
  4. present — a gift
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. current — happening now
  7. fall — to drop
  8. present — there
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fall — the season
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. current — of water
  15. rest — a break
  16. net — for catching
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. present — the time now
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. court — of a king
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. mouse — the animal

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