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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.

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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: cap · stock · plane · track · stem · staff · firm · chip

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. track — to keep track
  3. stem — to come from
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cap — of ice
  6. firm — a company
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stock — shares
  9. plane — a tool
  10. chip — to eat
  11. firm — decided
  12. staff — employees
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. track — a path
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cap — a hat
  17. track — a song
  18. firm — steady
  19. stock — goods
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cap — a lid
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. staff — a stick
  24. plane — an aircraft

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