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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · scale · current · craft · stock · ruler · saw · bulb

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stock — goods
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — boats
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. current — of water
  9. squash — to crush
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. current — electric
  19. squash — the sport
  20. stock — shares
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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