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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: stock · object · track · rest · net · pitcher · rock · current

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. stock — goods
  3. track — to keep track
  4. object — an aim
  5. stock — shares
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rest — what's left
  8. current — happening now
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. rock — a stone
  13. net — after costs
  14. rock — music
  15. track — a path
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — a song
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rest — what's left
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. rest — a break
  23. current — electric
  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