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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: ruler · sharp · squash · current · staff · court · swing · track

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. squash — the sport
  3. swing — to play on
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. court — of law
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. court — for sport
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. court — of a king
  16. sharp — clever
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. current — of water
  19. swing — music
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. squash — to crush
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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