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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stock — shares
  3. wind — moving air
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stock — goods
  9. chip — to eat
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. march — the month
  12. current — electric
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chip — for betting
  19. march — music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. march — the month
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. coach — a trainer

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