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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: stand · current · march · root · lean · mouse · wind · stock

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stock — shares
  4. current — of water
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. march — the month
  7. root — the cause
  8. lean — thin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. current — happening now
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. march — the month
  16. lean — to bend
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stock — goods
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. root — of a word
  22. march — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — electric

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