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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · spell · stock · track · club · cap · sharp · hide

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stock — goods
  4. spell — letters
  5. cap — a hat
  6. spell — magic
  7. cap — of ice
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. track — a song
  10. spell — a short time
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. club — for dancing
  14. cap — a lid
  15. track — a path
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. club — a group
  19. staff — employees
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. club — for golf
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — shares
  24. hide — animal skin

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