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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: current · charge · stock · saw · rule · track · foot · root

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. saw — the tool
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. current — electric
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. current — happening now
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. root — the cause
  11. stock — goods
  12. foot — a measure
  13. track — a path
  14. track — a song
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. charge — electricity
  17. root — of a word
  18. charge — in control
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stock — shares
  21. current — of water
  22. charge — a price
  23. root — of a plant
  24. rule — a law

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