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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: fine · trunk · stock · race · date · key · fall · current

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. current — happening now
  5. key — for a lock
  6. race — the arms race
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fine — high quality
  9. race — humankind
  10. current — electric
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stock — shares
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stock — goods
  16. race — a contest
  17. fine — all right
  18. fall — the season
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. current — of water
  23. fall — to drop
  24. date — the fruit

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