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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 124 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. object — a thing
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rash — a series
  8. row — a line
  9. stock — shares
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. object — an aim
  12. current — of water
  13. object — to protest
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stock — goods
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. current — happening now
  24. rash — hasty

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