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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. tear — from crying
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — electric
  7. perch — the fish
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tear — to rip
  12. stock — shares
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. tear — from crying
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. current — of water
  19. can — to be able to
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. current — happening now
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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