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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. current — electric
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. current — happening now
  6. net — for catching
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stock — shares
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stock — goods
  11. rash — a series
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. face — to confront
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. net — in sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. sharp — clever
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. current — of water
  22. face — to point toward
  23. net — after costs
  24. face — part of the head

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