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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · straw · bowl · arm · track · charge

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. charge — electricity
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stock — shares
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. track — a song
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. bowl — a dish

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