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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stock — shares
  3. deal — to handle
  4. current — electric
  5. mug — a face
  6. can — to be able to
  7. degree — from a university
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. current — happening now
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — goods
  16. mug — a cup
  17. current — of water
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mug — to rob
  21. degree — temperature
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lean — to rest against

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