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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.

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: charge · vault · pop · clip · current · club · fan · stock

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. club — a group
  5. pop — soda
  6. stock — goods
  7. club — for dancing
  8. current — happening now
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pop — to visit
  11. charge — electricity
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — for paper
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. club — for golf
  18. clip — a video
  19. pop — music
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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