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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. file — a tool
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wound — an injury
  10. current — happening now
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bulb — for light
  15. file — a document
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stock — goods
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. current — of water
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stock — shares

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