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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — goods
  3. current — electric
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mark — a grade
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce

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