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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. current — electric
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cap — of ice
  11. suit — to fit
  12. object — to protest
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. current — of water
  15. court — of a king
  16. current — happening now
  17. object — a thing
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. court — of law
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. object — an aim
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. cap — a hat

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