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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. drill — army training
  3. bat — the animal
  4. row — a line
  5. current — of water
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stock — shares
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bass — low music
  13. season — in sport
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. season — of the year
  16. current — electric
  17. current — happening now
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. row — to paddle
  22. stock — goods
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. drill — the tool

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