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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. current — of water
  5. suit — to fit
  6. court — of law
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — clothes
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. court — for sport
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. firm — decided
  14. fall — to drop
  15. firm — a company
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — in cards
  19. current — happening now
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — the season
  24. court — of a king

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