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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: current · bark · stand · fall · dip · branch · ruler · stock

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stock — goods
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stock — shares
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fall — the season
  9. stand — to bear
  10. current — of water
  11. bark — to shout
  12. current — happening now
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fall — to drop
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. branch — a division
  21. current — electric
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. fall — to drop
  24. branch — of a tree

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