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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 · stand · wind · ground · stock · mark · roll · charge

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. current — electric
  3. ground — the earth
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stock — goods
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ground — crushed
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — a list
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — happening now
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ground — a position
  16. current — of water
  17. stand — to bear
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. charge — in control
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. charge — a price
  24. stock — shares

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