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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. current — of water
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stock — goods
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pit — in a race
  7. current — electric
  8. stock — shares
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rash — a series
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — the fish
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rash — hasty
  17. prune — to trim
  18. current — happening now
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bass — low music
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mug — a face

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