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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. current — happening now
  9. stock — shares
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — to tease
  12. club — a group
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — of water
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. club — for golf
  20. current — electric
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. stock — goods

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