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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. current — electric
  2. kick — in football
  3. pitch — completely
  4. current — happening now
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. current — of water
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  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