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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. board — a committee
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. land — a country
  5. object — a thing
  6. current — happening now
  7. stock — goods
  8. land — ground
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. kick — in football
  12. board — to get on
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bass — low music
  16. current — of water
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. current — electric
  19. pit — in a race
  20. land — to come down
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stock — shares
  23. object — to protest
  24. pit — a hole

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