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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · stock · current · club · field · foot · bound · squash

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. row — a line
  3. stock — goods
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. squash — to crush
  6. club — for dancing
  7. field — for sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. club — for golf
  10. stock — shares
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. row — to paddle
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bound — obliged
  17. field — a subject
  18. current — electric
  19. bound — tied together
  20. squash — the sport
  21. club — a group
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. field — farmland
  24. bound — certain

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