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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. staff — employees
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stock — shares
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. current — electric
  7. staff — employees
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. scale — in music
  12. current — of water
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. scale — size or range
  21. chip — to eat
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. staff — a stick
  24. arm — part of the body

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