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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 116 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: spring · file · stock · chip · mate · current · suit · root

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. chip — for betting
  3. current — happening now
  4. stock — shares
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spring — the season
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mate — a friend
  10. spring — of water
  11. file — a line of people
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stock — goods
  14. spring — a coil
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mate — to breed
  19. chip — to eat
  20. current — of water
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a plant
  24. current — electric

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