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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: mug · craft · fan · current · court · rush · land · pit

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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 — electric
  2. court — for sport
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. craft — a skill
  5. court — of a king
  6. land — a country
  7. mug — to rob
  8. current — happening now
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. current — of water
  14. land — to come down
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. craft — boats
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. court — of law
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pit — a hole
  22. land — ground
  23. mug — a cup
  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