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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rash — a series
  3. squash — to crush
  4. field — a subject
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stock — goods
  7. current — electric
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. current — happening now
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. current — of water
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — shares
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rash — hasty
  18. field — farmland
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. field — for sport
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. squash — the sport

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