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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. court — of a king
  5. can — a tin
  6. net — after costs
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. net — in sport
  9. current — electric
  10. net — for catching
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. can — a tin
  15. deal — to handle
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pound — a weight
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — for dogs

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