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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 116 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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mug — to rob
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. ground — a position
  7. stock — shares
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mug — a face
  11. current — happening now
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ground — crushed
  15. current — of water
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mate — a friend
  20. sharp — clever
  21. current — electric
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wax — to grow
  24. stock — goods

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