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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to click
  5. current — happening now
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bass — low music
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. current — of water
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. dip — to sink
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bowl — to roll

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