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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.

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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: court · plane · rock · staff · mug · cap · stock · key

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cap — of ice
  3. stock — shares
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cap — a hat
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. court — of law
  8. mug — to rob
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. key — in music
  11. court — for sport
  12. staff — employees
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stock — goods
  15. mug — a face
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. staff — employees
  18. rock — music
  19. court — of a king
  20. cap — a lid
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rock — a stone
  23. key — the most important part
  24. plane — a tool

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