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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ground · current · object · clip · pit · stock · stick · perch

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — to protest
  3. current — happening now
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ground — a position
  8. clip — for paper
  9. perch — the fish
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pit — a hole
  12. clip — a video
  13. clip — to cut
  14. stock — shares
  15. ground — the earth
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. stock — goods
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. current — electric
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. current — of water
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. ground — crushed

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