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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · court · bound · ground · current · chair · lash · rock

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. current — electric
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. court — for sport
  7. rock — music
  8. court — of law
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bound — certain
  11. current — happening now
  12. ground — the earth
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rock — a stone
  16. ground — a position
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. current — of water
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. court — of a king
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bound — obliged

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