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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. court — of a king
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. court — of law
  7. rash — hasty
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rash — a series
  10. current — electric
  11. can — a tin
  12. current — of water
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. current — happening now
  16. kid — to tease
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. court — for sport
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. jam — a tight spot

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