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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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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: hide · rush · firm · mate · court · scale · cabinet · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mate — a partner
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mate — to breed
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mate — a friend
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. court — of a king
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. firm — a company
  12. current — of water
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. current — electric
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. scale — in music
  20. firm — steady
  21. court — of law
  22. firm — decided
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. court — for sport

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