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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stock — goods
  3. current — electric
  4. roll — a cake
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. present — the time now
  8. stock — shares
  9. current — happening now
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. present — a gift
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spell — a short time
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. dip — to sink
  18. roll — a list
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. current — of water
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. spell — letters
  23. present — there
  24. spell — magic

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