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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: stick · can · field · spring · stock · dip · object · suit

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. can — a tin
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stock — goods
  5. field — for sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. object — an aim
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. field — a subject
  16. can — to be able to
  17. suit — to fit
  18. dip — to sink
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stock — shares
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — clothes
  23. can — a tin
  24. stock — a soup base

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