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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. court — of a king
  3. suit — to fit
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. court — for sport
  9. current — happening now
  10. object — to protest
  11. deal — to handle
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tube — a container
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. object — an aim
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. court — of law
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. deal — an agreement

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