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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rush — hurry
  7. current — of water
  8. bound — certain
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bound — tied together
  11. court — for sport
  12. current — happening now
  13. court — of a king
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. court — of law
  16. club — for golf
  17. current — electric
  18. club — a group
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pass — a permit
  22. club — for dancing
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pass — to spend time

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