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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. stock — goods
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. current — of water
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. current — happening now
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bark — to shout
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stock — shares
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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