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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. stock — goods
  3. lean — thin
  4. stock — shares
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. row — to paddle
  14. pit — a hole
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — for a lock
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — in a race
  23. current — of water
  24. racket — a loud noise

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