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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. net — for catching
  3. row — a line
  4. court — of law
  5. row — to paddle
  6. tube — the underground
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. current — of water
  9. charge — in control
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. current — electric
  12. firm — decided
  13. charge — electricity
  14. firm — a company
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. charge — a price
  21. court — of a king
  22. firm — steady
  23. court — for sport
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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