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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: wax · fine · staff · date · roll · ball · track · stock

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. staff — employees
  4. roll — a list
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — goods
  9. track — a song
  10. fine — all right
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. date — the fruit
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wax — to grow
  15. staff — employees
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. track — a path
  19. staff — a stick
  20. track — to keep track
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fine — high quality

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