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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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. current — electric
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. row — a line
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. current — of water
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stand — to bear
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. present — the time now
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. stock — shares
  23. current — happening now
  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