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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 120 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lean — thin
  4. object — to protest
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stock — goods
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. current — of water
  10. squash — to crush
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. stock — shares
  14. lean — to bend
  15. branch — a division
  16. object — an aim
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. object — a thing
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. squash — the sport
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. suit — in cards

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