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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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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: stock · current · dip · tube · kick · fork · stand · wave

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stock — goods
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stock — shares
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. current — happening now
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. kick — in football
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. tube — a container
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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