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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: current · capital · wake · root · stock · stand · object · perch

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. current — electric
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. capital — money
  9. current — happening now
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. root — of a plant
  12. perch — the fish
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stock — shares
  16. wake — a trail
  17. object — an aim
  18. capital — a city
  19. root — of a word
  20. stock — goods
  21. root — the cause
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stock — a soup base

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