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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. current — electric
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. can — a tin
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stock — goods
  10. current — of water
  11. lean — thin
  12. can — a tin
  13. scale — in music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pop — to visit
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stock — shares
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pop — soda
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pop — music
  23. current — happening now
  24. can — to be able 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