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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: stock · kick · ball · sharp · pit · current · key · mug

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. current — electric
  3. stock — shares
  4. ball — a great time
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pit — a hole
  7. kick — in football
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pit — in a race
  10. key — in music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stock — goods
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. key — the most important part
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ball — a dance

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