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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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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: saw · stock · track · cap · racket · bank · mate · ball

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. track — a path
  3. mate — to breed
  4. track — a song
  5. bank — of a river
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bank — for money
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cap — a lid
  13. ball — a great time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stock — goods
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stock — shares
  20. mate — a partner
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cap — a hat
  24. racket — a loud noise

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