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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.

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: race · stock · wax · key · tube · fork · fan · suit

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. key — in music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. key — for a lock
  10. suit — clothes
  11. race — humankind
  12. tube — the underground
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tube — a container
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. race — a contest
  19. wax — to grow
  20. race — the arms race
  21. stock — shares
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fork — in a road
  24. wax — in the ear

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