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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. current — of water
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. current — electric
  6. firm — steady
  7. suit — to fit
  8. court — of law
  9. current — happening now
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. court — for sport
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. firm — decided
  18. sharp — clever
  19. suit — clothes
  20. plane — a tool
  21. firm — a company
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. plane — in geometry

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