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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. club — for golf
  3. current — electric
  4. stock — shares
  5. charge — in control
  6. bound — tied together
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. club — a group
  9. current — of water
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. charge — a price
  12. foot — a measure
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. current — happening now
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bound — certain
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. charge — electricity
  22. club — for dancing
  23. firm — decided
  24. stock — goods

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