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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 120 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 do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stock — goods
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stock — shares
  7. current — electric
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. current — happening now
  16. charge — a price
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. charge — in control
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. current — of water

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