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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: key · current · stock · saw · hide · rush · board · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. key — in music
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stock — shares
  7. current — happening now
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. board — to get on
  10. track — a path
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — for a lock
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. key — the most important part
  16. saw — the tool
  17. board — a committee
  18. track — a song
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stock — goods
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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