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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 · key · object · rush · capital · stock · snap · track

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. key — in music
  3. object — an aim
  4. suit — in cards
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stock — shares
  9. suit — clothes
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. track — to keep track
  12. key — for a lock
  13. object — a thing
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. capital — a city
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stock — goods
  21. object — to protest
  22. capital — money
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. capital — a big letter

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