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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: deal · track · cabinet · bay · mate · stock · board · wind

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stock — goods
  4. board — a committee
  5. stock — shares
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. track — a song
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wind — moving air
  15. board — to get on
  16. mate — a friend
  17. track — a path
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mate — to breed
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mate — a partner
  24. track — to keep track

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