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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.

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: stock · rest · squash · arm · deal · wound · saw · current

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. current — happening now
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rest — what's left
  8. saw — the tool
  9. squash — to crush
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. wound — an injury
  14. deal — to handle
  15. squash — the sport
  16. current — electric
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. stock — goods
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — the tool
  22. current — of water
  23. wound — an injury
  24. arm — part of the body

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