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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. sharp — clever
  5. tube — the underground
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. current — of water
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. tube — a container
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. court — for sport
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. squash — the sport
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. current — happening now
  20. court — of a king
  21. squash — to crush
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. court — of law
  24. stand — to bear

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