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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stand — to bear
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. current — of water
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. current — electric
  11. mug — to rob
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. current — happening now
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stock — goods
  17. mug — a face
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. stock — shares
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wind — to turn a key

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