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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. face — to point toward
  4. plane — a tool
  5. face — to confront
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. face — part of the head
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. club — a group
  10. object — to protest
  11. club — for golf
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. object — an aim
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. current — happening now

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