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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. court — for sport
  3. current — electric
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. court — of a king
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. current — of water
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — happening now
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. snap — to click
  16. court — of law
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. can — to be able to
  19. sharp — clever
  20. can — a tin
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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