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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: wake · stock · stand · track · bear · kid · roll · pop

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. track — to keep track
  7. kid — to tease
  8. pop — soda
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. track — a path
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. wake — a trail
  17. roll — a list
  18. pop — to visit
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pop — music
  21. track — a song
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. wake — before a funeral

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