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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. root — the cause
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. firm — decided
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. current — happening now
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. row — a line
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. row — to paddle
  15. current — of water
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. stock — shares
  22. lie — to recline
  23. current — electric
  24. stock — goods

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