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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 · track · ball · cap · dip · patient · arm · bass

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cap — a lid
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. track — a path
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ball — a great time
  13. dip — to sink
  14. track — a song
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bass — low music
  17. cap — a hat
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — a sauce

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