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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: court · current · bound · object · racket · tube · pitcher · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bound — tied together
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. current — happening now
  6. court — for sport
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. object — an aim
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bound — certain
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. court — of a king
  16. bound — obliged
  17. current — of water
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. current — electric
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. court — of law
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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