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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. dip — to sink
  4. staff — employees
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. current — electric
  8. club — for golf
  9. firm — decided
  10. staff — employees
  11. firm — a company
  12. roll — a list
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. club — for dancing
  15. roll — a cake
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. kick — in football
  19. club — a group
  20. firm — steady
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. staff — a stick
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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