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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: root · plane · pitch · stock · stand · bowl · land · current

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pitch — completely
  3. plane — a tool
  4. land — a country
  5. stand — to bear
  6. current — happening now
  7. land — to come down
  8. stock — shares
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. root — the cause
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. land — ground
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. current — of water
  17. root — of a word
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. current — electric
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. root — of a plant
  24. plane — in geometry

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