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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 120 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wax — to grow
  3. can — a tin
  4. current — happening now
  5. saw — the tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. field — a subject
  13. craft — a skill
  14. suit — in cards
  15. can — a tin
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. current — of water
  19. stock — shares
  20. current — electric
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. can — to be able to

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