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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. can — a tin
  3. stock — goods
  4. current — electric
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. board — a committee
  8. file — a document
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. current — of water
  14. stock — shares
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. board — to get on
  20. file — a tool
  21. mark — a trace
  22. file — a line of people
  23. current — happening now
  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