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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. current — happening now
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mark — a trace
  5. current — electric
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. tube — a container
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. court — of law
  11. current — of water
  12. mark — a grade
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bound — tied together
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bound — obliged
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. court — of a king
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bound — certain

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