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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: stock · fine · file · fork · track · can · coach · staff

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. can — a tin
  3. staff — employees
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. track — a path
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. track — to keep track
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. file — a document
  12. stock — goods
  13. can — a tin
  14. fine — high quality
  15. file — a tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fine — all right
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — in a road
  21. track — a song
  22. stock — shares
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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