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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 124 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: cap · trunk · safe · court · march · current · cue · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. court — of a king
  5. march — the month
  6. court — for sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. current — of water
  13. court — of law
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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