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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. race — a contest
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. firm — a company
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stock — goods
  10. current — of water
  11. firm — decided
  12. bass — the fish
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. date — the fruit
  16. race — the arms race
  17. firm — steady
  18. bass — low music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — shares
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. race — humankind
  24. current — electric

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