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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
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 · leaves · suit · spell · cap · stock · field · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stock — goods
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. field — for sport
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cap — of ice
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stock — shares
  10. field — farmland
  11. cap — a hat
  12. suit — in cards
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. roll — a list
  16. field — a subject
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spell — a short time
  22. roll — a cake
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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