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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 116 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: spell · club · stock · bay · kick · staff · mouse · mark

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spell — magic
  3. club — for golf
  4. stock — goods
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. club — a group
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. spell — letters
  15. mark — a grade
  16. club — for dancing
  17. staff — employees
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. kick — in football
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stock — shares

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