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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. craft — boats
  3. tube — a container
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. current — of water
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. current — electric
  8. fork — in a road
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stock — goods
  11. tube — the underground
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fine — all right
  20. current — happening now
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stock — shares
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mate — a friend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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