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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: rash · current · pound · firm · bear · ball · court · plane

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. ball — a great time
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. court — of law
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. plane — a tool
  12. current — electric
  13. court — for sport
  14. current — of water
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. current — happening now
  20. rash — hasty
  21. firm — steady
  22. court — of a king
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ball — a dance

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