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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. club — a group
  4. stock — shares
  5. club — for dancing
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. current — electric
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stock — goods
  17. root — the cause
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. root — of a word
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. current — of water
  24. club — for golf

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