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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. face — part of the head
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rash — hasty
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. current — of water
  9. face — to confront
  10. object — an aim
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. object — to protest
  13. current — electric
  14. stock — goods
  15. content — the amount
  16. object — a thing
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. current — happening now
  20. face — to point toward
  21. content — happy
  22. stock — shares
  23. rash — a series
  24. tube — a container

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