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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. staff — employees
  7. rush — hurry
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. staff — employees
  13. rash — a series
  14. current — happening now
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. court — for sport
  20. current — of water
  21. court — of a king
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rash — hasty
  24. current — electric

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