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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. can — to be able to
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. stock — goods
  7. roll — a cake
  8. row — to paddle
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — of water
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. current — electric
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. can — a tin
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stock — shares
  19. current — happening now
  20. row — a line
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. dip — to dunk

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