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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. row — a line
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — to fit
  5. current — of water
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stock — goods
  11. current — happening now
  12. ball — a great time
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. current — electric
  15. stock — shares
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. row — to paddle
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ball — a round shape

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