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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. court — of a king
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — of water
  7. shower — to wash
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — to crush
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. shower — rain
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. current — happening now
  19. staff — employees
  20. court — of law
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mark — a grade
  24. court — for sport

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