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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. branch — a division
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. current — of water
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. current — happening now
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. stock — goods
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — a hat
  13. current — electric
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. stock — shares
  24. pound — a weight

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