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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rash — a series
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bound — obliged
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. file — a line of people
  13. current — electric
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. file — a tool
  16. current — of water
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bound — certain
  24. current — happening now

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