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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. current — electric
  3. present — there
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stock — shares
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. present — a gift
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stock — goods
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. current — of water
  22. fall — to drop
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fall — the season

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