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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lean — thin
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. current — electric
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bulb — for light
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. current — of water
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — a permit
  16. game — a match
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stock — goods
  19. current — happening now
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pass — to spend time

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