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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. stock — shares
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — electric
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pound — a weight
  12. spell — letters
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. toast — bread
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spell — a short time
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stock — goods
  24. coach — a trainer

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