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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: deal · stock · fine · wind · mate · key · present · plane

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wind — moving air
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stock — goods
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mate — a partner
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. present — there
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. deal — to handle
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stock — shares
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fine — all right
  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