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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. stock — shares
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. object — to protest
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stock — goods
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cabinet — ministers

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