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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. club — a group
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. drill — army training
  6. club — for dancing
  7. current — electric
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rash — a series
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stock — shares
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stock — goods
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. drill — the tool
  21. chip — to eat
  22. current — happening now
  23. club — for golf
  24. ruler — for measuring

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