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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: date · stick · leaves · fan · mouse · track · stock · object

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. track — to keep track
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — to protest
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. track — a path
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. object — a thing
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. object — an aim

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