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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: court · nail · current · club · prune · safe · tube · firm

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. club — for golf
  4. court — of law
  5. tube — a container
  6. club — a group
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. court — of a king
  15. current — happening now
  16. prune — to trim
  17. court — for sport
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. current — electric
  23. firm — steady
  24. club — for dancing

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