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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 116 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: rule · net · current · stock · drill · racket · kid · club

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stock — shares
  3. current — happening now
  4. drill — a practice
  5. net — after costs
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. drill — the tool
  8. kid — child
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. club — a group
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. kid — to tease
  14. current — of water
  15. net — for catching
  16. rule — a law
  17. club — for golf
  18. stock — goods
  19. net — in sport
  20. rule — government
  21. drill — army training
  22. current — electric
  23. club — for dancing
  24. racket — for tennis

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