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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: file · deal · wake · firm · track · fork · land · stock

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. stock — shares
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fork — in a road
  5. firm — steady
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. stock — goods
  10. file — a document
  11. land — to come down
  12. track — a path
  13. file — a tool
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. land — a country
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. track — a song
  19. land — ground
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. deal — a big deal
  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