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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. current — of water
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stock — goods
  5. firm — a company
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. kid — child
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. kid — to tease
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. firm — decided
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stock — shares
  20. firm — steady
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ground — a position
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rush — to hurry

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