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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: stem · wake · chip · scale · fork · suit · ball · stock

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stock — shares
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wake — a trail
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. ball — a great time
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. scale — in music
  24. stock — goods

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