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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: coach · mark · object · squash · plane · stock · stick · key

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stock — goods
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. squash — the sport
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mark — a grade
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. key — for a lock
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. object — an aim
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mark — to pay attention

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