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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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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. tube — a container
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. sharp — clever
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stock — goods
  9. current — of water
  10. drill — army training
  11. stock — shares
  12. tube — the underground
  13. current — happening now
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. current — electric
  18. stock — a soup base

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