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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. court — for sport
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — low music
  8. current — electric
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — a stone
  11. file — a tool
  12. current — happening now
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. court — of a king
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. current — of water
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. court — of law
  20. rock — music
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bass — the fish
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. file — a document

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