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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · stock · key · prune · tube · present · current · rock

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. stock — shares
  3. prune — to trim
  4. present — a gift
  5. key — the most important part
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. tube — a container
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. present — there
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stock — goods
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rock — music
  16. current — electric
  17. key — in music
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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