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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · staff · ruler · spell · stock · bass · firm · net

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. staff — employees
  4. firm — steady
  5. net — after costs
  6. staff — a stick
  7. key — in music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. net — in sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spell — magic
  13. staff — employees
  14. key — the most important part
  15. spell — letters
  16. stock — shares
  17. bass — low music
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stock — goods
  22. net — for catching
  23. spell — a short time
  24. ruler — a monarch

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