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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 · cue · scale · roll · bank · land · staff · key

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. land — a country
  5. bank — for money
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bank — for money
  9. scale — size or range
  10. roll — a list
  11. bank — of a river
  12. land — ground
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cue — a signal
  15. staff — employees
  16. key — in music
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a cake
  19. land — to come down
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stock — shares
  22. staff — a stick
  23. key — the most important part
  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