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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. current — of water
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. current — electric
  6. charge — a price
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stand — to bear
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bass — low music
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. charge — in control
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. can — a tin
  17. scale — in music
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. charge — electricity
  21. current — happening now
  22. bass — the fish
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stock — a soup base

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