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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.

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: stock · suit · date · degree · track · fine · bowl · current

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. date — the fruit
  3. track — to keep track
  4. suit — in cards
  5. degree — an amount
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. stock — shares
  11. fine — all right
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. current — electric
  17. degree — temperature
  18. fine — high quality
  19. track — a path
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. track — a song
  24. degree — from a university

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