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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 112 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: suit · band · stock · key · mark · stem · firm · capital

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. key — the most important part
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. suit — to fit
  7. firm — steady
  8. key — for a lock
  9. capital — a city
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. band — a ring
  12. stock — shares
  13. firm — a company
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mark — a grade
  16. firm — decided
  17. capital — money
  18. band — a music group
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. key — in music
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. suit — in cards
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. suit — clothes

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