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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: stock · pop · current · stem · leaves · bay · mug · file

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. current — electric
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mug — a cup
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pop — soda
  13. file — a tool
  14. pop — music
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. file — a document
  18. stock — shares
  19. file — a line of people
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mug — to rob
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stock — goods
  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