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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. firm — decided
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — electricity
  5. spell — a short time
  6. dip — to sink
  7. firm — steady
  8. current — happening now
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. roll — a cake
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. spell — magic
  14. charge — a price
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. charge — in control
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. roll — a list
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. firm — a company
  23. current — of water
  24. spell — letters

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