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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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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: race · current · deal · leaves · court · bear · fine · ruler

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fine — all right
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. current — of water
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. court — for sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. current — happening now
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. court — of a king
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. current — electric
  20. deal — to handle
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. court — of law
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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