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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. current — electric
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. current — of water
  10. file — a document
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. court — of law
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. court — for sport
  20. file — a tool
  21. current — happening now
  22. fine — all right
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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