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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. current — of water
  4. stock — shares
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. present — there
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. current — happening now
  14. bass — low music
  15. fall — the season
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stock — goods
  18. present — a gift
  19. fall — to drop
  20. kid — child
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rush — hurry
  23. present — the time now
  24. bass — the fish

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