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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. game — wild animals
  4. current — happening now
  5. mug — a face
  6. current — of water
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cell — in biology
  11. mug — to rob
  12. stock — shares
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. cell — a phone
  15. stock — goods
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mug — a cup
  21. game — a match
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. current — electric
  24. rush — 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