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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: key · game · rush · stock · current · roll · pass · stand

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. game — a match
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stock — goods
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. key — the most important part
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. key — in music
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. current — electric
  19. stock — shares
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stand — to bear
  22. game — wild animals
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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