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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. current — electric
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. squash — the sport
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — a committee
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. cap — a hat
  14. prune — to trim
  15. board — to get on
  16. can — to be able to
  17. current — of water
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stock — shares
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. can — a tin
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cap — of ice

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