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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 120 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: stock · craft · capital · charge · rush · current · ball · firm

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. craft — a skill
  3. firm — steady
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stock — goods
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. craft — boats
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — a company
  14. current — happening now
  15. charge — a price
  16. capital — a city
  17. current — electric
  18. capital — money
  19. ball — a dance
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stock — shares
  23. ball — a great time
  24. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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