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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. roll — a cake
  3. content — the amount
  4. tube — a container
  5. toast — bread
  6. squash — to crush
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. stock — shares
  10. current — electric
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. stock — goods
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. content — happy
  17. current — of water
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. squash — the sport
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. roll — a list
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. tube — the underground

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