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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
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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: cabinet · court · current · pit · leaves · tube · sharp · staff

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. sharp — clever
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pit — a hole
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. tube — a container
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pit — in a race
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of a king
  12. current — of water
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. current — electric
  15. staff — employees
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. tube — the underground
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. court — of law
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. current — happening now
  24. sharp — exactly

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