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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. firm — decided
  3. current — of water
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stock — goods
  8. firm — a company
  9. rush — hurry
  10. field — for sport
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. band — a ring
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stock — shares
  18. current — happening now
  19. band — a music group
  20. current — electric
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. firm — steady
  24. stock — a soup base

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