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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: row · stand · stock · current · pit · fan · prune · fine

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. row — a line
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. current — of water
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stand — to bear
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. stock — shares
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pit — in a race
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fine — all right
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. row — to paddle
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fine — high quality
  24. row — a quarrel

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