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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: kid · stock · vault · present · pitcher · current · stand · temple

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stock — goods
  4. current — of water
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. present — a gift
  7. stock — shares
  8. present — there
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. current — happening now
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kid — child
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. present — the time now
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stock — a soup base

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