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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. squash — the sport
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mine — for digging
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. current — happening now
  8. rest — what's left
  9. court — of a king
  10. craft — boats
  11. toast — bread
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. current — of water
  21. craft — a skill
  22. squash — to crush
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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