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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: rock · current · root · march · mark · bass · stock · ruler

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. march — music
  3. root — the cause
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. root — of a plant
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stock — shares
  9. current — electric
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — music
  13. march — the month
  14. mark — a trace
  15. root — of a word
  16. current — happening now
  17. mark — a grade
  18. current — of water
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stock — goods
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. march — the month

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