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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 112 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: suit · band · stock · key · mark · stem

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mark — a grade
  3. suit — to fit
  4. key — in music
  5. stock — goods
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stem — to come from
  12. mark — a trace
  13. band — a ring
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. band — a music group
  18. suit — clothes

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