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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. net — for catching
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rule — government
  9. rock — music
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. current — electric
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. net — after costs
  16. rule — a law
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. rock — a stone
  20. current — happening now
  21. net — in sport
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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