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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — in music
  4. stock — goods
  5. current — electric
  6. drill — army training
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stock — shares
  9. file — a document
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bulb — for light
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. deal — to handle
  15. current — of water
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. scale — size or range
  21. file — a tool
  22. current — happening now
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stock — a soup base

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