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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: tube · kick · saw · pop · coach · suit · stock · current

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. current — of water
  3. stock — shares
  4. pop — soda
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. saw — the tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pop — music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. current — happening now
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. current — electric
  15. tube — a container
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stock — goods
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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