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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: key · foot · court · stick · bay · current · pound · file

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. current — happening now
  6. foot — a measure
  7. court — of law
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. court — of a king
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. file — a document
  14. current — electric
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. file — a tool
  24. court — for sport

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