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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. current — of water
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stock — goods
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. current — electric
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rest — a break
  10. band — a music group
  11. current — happening now
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pass — a permit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. band — a ring
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. stock — shares

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