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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. court — of a king
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. current — of water
  6. object — an aim
  7. plane — a tool
  8. swing — music
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. deal — to handle
  12. current — happening now
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. court — of law
  18. current — electric
  19. object — a thing
  20. pit — a hole
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pit — in a race
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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