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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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Word bank
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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: snap · stock · pit · ball · sharp · mug · current · firm

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — decided
  4. mug — to rob
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mug — a face
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. current — happening now
  9. snap — to click
  10. current — of water
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stock — shares
  19. ball — a dance
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. current — electric

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