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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 116 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. spring — of water
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. spring — a coil
  6. current — of water
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stock — goods
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stock — shares
  13. cap — of ice
  14. spring — the season
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cap — a hat
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. cap — a lid
  21. deal — to handle
  22. current — electric
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bulb — for light

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