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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · chip · stick · firm · current · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — steady
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — to eat
  7. current — of water
  8. can — a tin
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. current — happening now
  12. firm — a company
  13. current — electric
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. firm — decided

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