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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.

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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: current · stock · plane · tube · sharp · lash · bay · bark

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. stock — goods
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. current — of water
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stock — shares
  24. current — happening now

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