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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. current — electric
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stock — shares
  6. current — of water
  7. club — for golf
  8. stock — goods
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. club — a group
  13. current — happening now
  14. lie — to recline
  15. game — wild animals
  16. season — in sport
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. game — a match
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. season — of the year
  24. dip — to sink

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