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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: spell · stock · club · temple · stand · pitcher · suit · track

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. club — for dancing
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. track — a song
  9. suit — clothes
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. track — a path
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stock — shares
  24. suit — to fit

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