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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. tube — a container
  5. scale — size or range
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. object — an aim
  10. tube — the underground
  11. board — to get on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. object — to protest
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. swing — music
  17. object — a thing
  18. stock — shares
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. scale — in music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. current — of water

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