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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — in sport
  3. current — happening now
  4. firm — steady
  5. ground — the earth
  6. current — electric
  7. row — a line
  8. firm — decided
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stock — goods
  12. row — to paddle
  13. current — of water
  14. ground — a position
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mug — a cup
  19. stock — shares
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. season — of the year
  22. mug — a face
  23. firm — a company
  24. cue — a signal

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