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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mate — a friend
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stock — shares
  6. current — electric
  7. can — a tin
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stock — goods
  11. wax — to grow
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. row — to paddle
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. can — a tin
  16. mate — a partner
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. row — a line
  19. chair — a leader
  20. current — happening now
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. safe — a strongbox

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