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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: cap · rush · track · stock · mug · chip · root · roll

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. root — of a word
  3. track — a path
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. roll — a list
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. root — of a plant
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. root — the cause
  11. track — a song
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. chip — for betting
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rush — hurry
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mug — a cup
  23. chip — to eat
  24. roll — on a roll

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