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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 120 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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. current — happening now
  3. bear — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. court — of law
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. present — a gift
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rash — hasty
  13. present — there
  14. suit — to fit
  15. track — a path
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bear — the animal
  20. present — the time now
  21. rash — a series
  22. court — for sport
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. track — a song

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