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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. current — happening now
  3. pit — a hole
  4. current — electric
  5. swing — music
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stock — goods
  11. bear — the animal
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. stock — shares
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. current — of water
  23. swing — in golf
  24. stock — a soup base

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