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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. current — electric
  3. field — a subject
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stock — shares
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. charge — electricity
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. charge — in control
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stock — goods
  20. ball — a great time
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. field — farmland
  23. charge — a price
  24. field — for sport

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