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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: suit · wake · toast · track · mine · cap · board · stock

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. board — to get on
  3. stock — goods
  4. track — a song
  5. cap — of ice
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — a path
  9. mine — for digging
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. toast — bread
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cap — a hat
  15. board — a committee
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. cap — a lid
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stock — shares
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. toast — the most admired

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