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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fine — all right
  4. rock — music
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stock — shares
  7. spell — magic
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. current — happening now
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. stock — goods
  15. current — electric
  16. spell — a short time
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fall — the season
  23. spell — letters
  24. fall — to drop

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