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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — to grow
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. squash — the sport
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. current — of water
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. vault — a safe
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stock — goods
  21. cue — a signal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. cue — a hint
  24. current — happening now

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