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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. fine — high quality
  4. present — there
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. present — the time now
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stock — goods
  11. degree — temperature
  12. present — a gift
  13. race — the arms race
  14. current — of water
  15. race — humankind
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. degree — an amount
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. degree — from a university
  23. fine — all right
  24. race — a contest

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