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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 116 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: mark · current · can · ball · field · chip · stock · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. field — farmland
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stock — goods
  8. chip — for betting
  9. stock — shares
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — electric
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. field — a subject
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. can — a tin
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. field — for sport
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stock — a soup base

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