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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stock — shares
  3. current — happening now
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. spell — letters
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. current — electric
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stock — goods
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. current — of water
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitch — a sports field

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