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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. court — of law
  10. file — a tool
  11. current — electric
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cap — a lid
  14. court — of a king
  15. current — happening now
  16. cap — a hat
  17. file — a document
  18. cap — of ice
  19. lie — to recline
  20. court — for sport
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. current — of water
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rash — hasty

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