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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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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 · present · snap · pop · dip · stand · current · club

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. current — of water
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. club — a group
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. snap — to click
  10. stock — shares
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pop — to visit
  13. present — the time now
  14. pop — music
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. current — happening now
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pop — soda
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. current — electric
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stand — to bear

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