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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: track · fan · stem · suit · lie · stock · cold · key

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cold — an illness
  5. suit — to fit
  6. track — a path
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. key — for a lock
  12. lie — to recline
  13. track — a song
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stock — shares
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stock — goods
  21. suit — clothes
  22. key — in music
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cold — the Cold War

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