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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: key · stock · plane · object · can · band · charge · fork

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. band — a music group
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. can — a tin
  8. stock — goods
  9. charge — a price
  10. can — a tin
  11. charge — in control
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. plane — a tool
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. key — the most important part
  20. object — an aim
  21. fork — in a road
  22. band — a ring
  23. stock — shares
  24. band — a rubber band

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