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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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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: wind · current · court · rock · mug · ruler · kid · ball

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. current — happening now
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rock — a stone
  7. court — for sport
  8. wind — moving air
  9. current — of water
  10. court — of law
  11. current — electric
  12. mug — a face
  13. court — of a king
  14. wind — moving air
  15. kid — child
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. kid — to tease
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. ball — a dance

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