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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stock — goods
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. clip — a video
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. current — of water
  10. charge — a price
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — for paper
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. current — happening now
  18. clip — to cut
  19. charge — in control
  20. stock — shares
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wake — a trail
  23. current — electric
  24. charge — electricity

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