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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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. current — happening now
  3. track — a song
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rush — hurry
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. prune — to trim
  13. current — of water
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. track — to keep track
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bulb — for light
  18. track — a path
  19. current — electric
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stock — shares

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