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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 116 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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. current — happening now
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stock — shares
  6. content — happy
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stock — goods
  18. content — the amount
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. march — music
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. current — of water
  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