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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. file — a line of people
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hand — help
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — happening now
  9. file — a document
  10. hand — in cards
  11. court — for sport
  12. current — of water
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. current — electric
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. court — of a king
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pass — a permit
  23. court — of law
  24. file — a tool

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