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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 116 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: drill · cue · stock · cap · shower · current · stick · wave

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stock — shares
  6. cap — of ice
  7. current — of water
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. drill — the tool
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. current — happening now
  19. drill — a practice
  20. shower — to wash
  21. stock — goods
  22. cue — a signal
  23. drill — army training
  24. cue — for pool

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