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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 120 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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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 · key · net · snap · leaves · firm · saw

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. net — for catching
  3. key — in music
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. net — in sport
  8. stock — shares
  9. current — happening now
  10. key — the most important part
  11. saw — the tool
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. saw — the tool
  14. firm — decided
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. net — after costs
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. snap — to click
  20. firm — a company
  21. key — for a lock
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. firm — steady
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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