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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: wound · track · racket · stock · ruler · rash · present · suit

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. present — the time now
  4. wound — an injury
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. suit — clothes
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — to fit
  9. track — a path
  10. rash — hasty
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. stock — goods
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. present — there
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. present — a gift
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. stock — shares

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