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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. firm — a company
  6. current — electric
  7. court — of law
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. firm — steady
  10. court — for sport
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. court — of a king
  14. stand — to bear
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rule — a law
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. firm — decided
  23. current — happening now
  24. rule — government

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