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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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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: saw · stand · suit · dip · current · stock · capital · mouse

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. capital — a city
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. suit — in cards
  6. dip — to sink
  7. stock — shares
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. current — electric
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. suit — to fit
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stand — to bear
  19. capital — money
  20. saw — the tool
  21. current — of water
  22. stock — goods
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. current — happening now

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