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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: suit · press · prune · mate · stock · club · key · calf

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. key — in music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. club — a group
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. press — newspapers
  11. stock — goods
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mate — a friend
  14. prune — to trim
  15. press — to push
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stock — shares
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. press — a publisher
  22. club — for dancing
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mate — to breed

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