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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: stock · ball · fall · key · saw · content · suit · degree

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fall — the season
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — from a university
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. suit — clothes
  11. degree — an amount
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fall — to drop
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stock — shares
  21. ball — a dance
  22. key — the most important part
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. suit — in cards

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