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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. ball — a dance
  5. club — a group
  6. sharp — clever
  7. club — for golf
  8. rest — a break
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. club — for dancing
  14. stock — shares
  15. current — of water
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stock — goods
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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