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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. spring — a coil
  4. drill — army training
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. spring — the season
  8. drill — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. current — of water
  11. stock — goods
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. chip — for betting
  14. drill — a practice
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. spring — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stock — shares
  24. coach — a trainer

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