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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 120 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: spell · firm · plane · stock · stick · current · key · degree

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. firm — steady
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — of water
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. spell — magic
  13. firm — a company
  14. degree — from a university
  15. firm — decided
  16. current — electric
  17. spell — letters
  18. key — the most important part
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. key — in music
  23. spell — a short time
  24. current — happening now

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