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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. drill — army training
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. present — a gift
  6. current — electric
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. present — the time now
  9. stock — shares
  10. current — of water
  11. drill — the tool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stock — goods
  19. cue — a hint
  20. current — happening now
  21. rest — a break
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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