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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: dip · stock · craft · spring · current · charge · nail · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. current — of water
  4. stock — shares
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — a coil
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stock — goods
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. current — electric
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. charge — in control
  16. fall — to drop
  17. current — happening now
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. charge — electricity
  21. spring — of water
  22. dip — to sink
  23. craft — boats
  24. charge — a price

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