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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — of law
  3. current — of water
  4. court — for sport
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — in football
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pit — a hole
  13. current — happening now
  14. squash — the sport
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. current — electric
  18. degree — temperature
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. degree — an amount
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. degree — from a university
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. kick — a thrill

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