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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: pass · stock · game · shower · suit · current · field · mark

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. current — of water
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. current — electric
  5. field — farmland
  6. stock — shares
  7. suit — clothes
  8. field — a subject
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. suit — in cards
  11. shower — to wash
  12. game — wild animals
  13. shower — rain
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. game — a match
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mark — a grade
  20. field — for sport
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. current — happening now
  24. stock — goods

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