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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.

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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: content · charge · stem · lean · current · bay · suit · stock

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. charge — a price
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. suit — clothes
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stock — goods
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. current — of water
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stem — to come from
  12. content — the amount
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lean — thin
  15. suit — to fit
  16. charge — electricity
  17. current — happening now
  18. stock — shares
  19. suit — in cards
  20. content — happy
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. charge — in control
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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