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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. court — of law
  6. mate — to breed
  7. current — of water
  8. mate — a friend
  9. court — for sport
  10. hand — help
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. court — of a king
  15. current — electric
  16. sharp — clever
  17. current — happening now
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mate — a partner
  21. can — a tin
  22. hand — in cards
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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