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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · plane · clip · row · current · mark · mug · present

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. clip — for paper
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. row — to paddle
  5. present — the time now
  6. clip — a video
  7. current — of water
  8. present — a gift
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stock — goods
  11. current — electric
  12. present — there
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. clip — to cut
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. row — a line
  18. mark — a trace
  19. stock — shares
  20. mug — to rob
  21. plane — a tool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mug — a face

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