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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. current — of water
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stock — goods
  12. current — electric
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pit — in a race
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pit — a hole
  18. current — happening now
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stock — shares

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