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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ground — crushed
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — all right
  8. current — of water
  9. squash — to crush
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ground — a position
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ground — the earth
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bear — the animal
  23. current — happening now
  24. safe — out of danger

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