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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — a grade
  6. drill — a practice
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. drill — the tool
  9. current — of water
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. current — happening now
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. drill — army training
  21. current — electric
  22. snap — to click
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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