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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. drill — a practice
  3. kick — in football
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. pop — to visit
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. drill — army training
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. current — electric
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pop — soda
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. drill — the tool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rest — a break
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pop — music
  24. sharp — with an edge

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