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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 116 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: fine · kick · court · current · snap · cap · staff · firm

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. firm — decided
  3. staff — a stick
  4. current — of water
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. firm — a company
  7. kick — in football
  8. fine — all right
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. staff — employees
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. cap — a hat
  14. court — of law
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cap — of ice
  17. staff — employees
  18. firm — steady
  19. current — happening now
  20. court — of a king
  21. snap — to click
  22. court — for sport
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. current — electric

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