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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. current — happening now
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stock — goods
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. current — electric
  7. bass — low music
  8. root — of a word
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stock — shares
  11. shower — rain
  12. root — the cause
  13. charge — in control
  14. shower — to wash
  15. current — of water
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. can — a tin
  20. bass — the fish
  21. charge — a price
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. root — of a plant

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