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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: nail · stem · stock · bay · foot · charge · current · lash

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. current — happening now
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. current — electric
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. charge — electricity
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. charge — in control
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — a price
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stem — to come from
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. foot — a measure
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. current — of water

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