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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: stem · bay · stock · trunk · swing · current · chair · root

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stock — goods
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. chair — a leader
  6. current — electric
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. current — of water
  13. root — the cause
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stock — shares
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. swing — to play on
  19. root — of a plant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. root — of a word
  24. swing — music

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