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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 116 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: bay · fan · key · stock · mark · stick · season · ground

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stock — shares
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mark — a trace
  10. season — in sport
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. key — the most important part
  17. ground — crushed
  18. season — of the year
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — goods
  24. key — in music

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