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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. current — happening now
  2. cap — a lid
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cap — of ice
  7. court — for sport
  8. rock — music
  9. court — of a king
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. stock — shares
  12. court — of law
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stock — goods
  15. current — electric
  16. cap — a hat
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  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