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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.

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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: current · bear · ball · jam · snap · mug · drill · court

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. court — of law
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ball — a dance
  8. drill — army training
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. current — electric
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. snap — to click
  19. mug — a cup
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — for sport
  22. drill — a practice
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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