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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: rush · straw · bat · can · stock · stem · current · temple

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bat — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. stock — goods
  7. rush — hurry
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. stock — shares
  13. current — of water
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. can — a tin
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stem — a stem cell

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