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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 · bank · stock · scale · squash · land · toast · key

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bank — of a river
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bank — for money
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bank — for money
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stock — goods
  10. toast — bread
  11. land — ground
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stock — shares
  15. land — to come down
  16. suit — to fit
  17. squash — the sport
  18. scale — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. land — a country
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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