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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 116 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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. stock — goods
  3. current — of water
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pass — a permit
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. rock — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. can — a tin
  12. band — a ring
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — electric
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. current — happening now
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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