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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stock · suit · face · fine · stem · spell · vault · fork

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. spell — letters
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. spell — magic
  9. stem — to come from
  10. fine — all right
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. suit — to fit
  17. spell — a short time
  18. face — part of the head
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stock — goods
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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