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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bear — the animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. bear — the animal
  5. current — happening now
  6. firm — a company
  7. current — electric
  8. court — of a king
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. current — of water
  12. court — of law
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mate — a friend
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. firm — decided
  18. court — for sport
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ball — a dance
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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