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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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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: ball · foot · degree · stock · mate · current · firm · chest

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. 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. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. current — happening now
  4. degree — from a university
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. current — of water
  8. stock — goods
  9. current — electric
  10. firm — steady
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. chest — of your body
  14. mate — a partner
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chest — a box
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. firm — a company
  22. stock — shares
  23. foot — a measure
  24. 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