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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. stock — goods
  3. board — a committee
  4. stock — shares
  5. pop — soda
  6. current — happening now
  7. content — the amount
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. board — to get on
  11. current — electric
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. current — of water
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mark — a trace
  19. content — happy
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mark — a grade

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