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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. suit — to fit
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. current — electric
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cold — not warm
  11. charge — in control
  12. suit — clothes
  13. charge — a price
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ground — a position
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stock — shares
  23. cold — an illness
  24. calf — a young animal

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