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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bore — to tire
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stock — goods
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rash — a series
  12. bulb — for light
  13. hand — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bore — to drill
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. current — happening now
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bulb — for light
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. stock — a soup base

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