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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. face — part of the head
  4. court — for sport
  5. bass — the fish
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. current — of water
  10. cap — a lid
  11. face — to confront
  12. object — a thing
  13. court — of law
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cap — of ice
  16. current — happening now
  17. bass — low music
  18. court — of a king
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cap — a hat
  23. tube — a container
  24. face — to point toward

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