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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: key · track · rule · file · foot · current · cap · stock

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. file — a line of people
  4. current — happening now
  5. stock — shares
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. cap — a lid
  8. track — a path
  9. cap — of ice
  10. file — a tool
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cap — a hat
  15. file — a document
  16. rule — government
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rule — a law
  19. key — in music
  20. stock — goods
  21. foot — a measure
  22. key — for a lock
  23. current — of water
  24. foot — part of the body

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