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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rock — a stone
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. court — of a king
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. kid — to tease
  8. object — a thing
  9. rock — music
  10. object — to protest
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. object — an aim
  13. stand — to bear
  14. court — of law
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. current — happening now
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — clever
  22. foot — a measure
  23. kid — child
  24. court — for sport

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