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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. object — an aim
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — of water
  8. tear — from crying
  9. object — to protest
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mate — a friend
  14. object — a thing
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mate — a partner
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stock — goods
  21. tear — to rip
  22. mate — to breed
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. deal — an agreement

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