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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · fan · stock · mate · ground · current · spell · arm

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stock — shares
  3. current — electric
  4. spell — letters
  5. mate — a friend
  6. spell — a short time
  7. current — of water
  8. mate — to breed
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. staff — employees
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spell — magic
  15. stock — goods
  16. mate — a partner
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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