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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. current — happening now
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. court — for sport
  7. key — for a lock
  8. suit — to fit
  9. court — of law
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. court — of a king
  12. current — electric
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. key — in music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. current — of water

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