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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: mark · stand · bound · net · mouse · stock · drill · roll

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. net — for catching
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bound — certain
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bound — tied together
  13. drill — army training
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. net — in sport
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. roll — a list
  18. bound — obliged
  19. net — after costs
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stock — shares
  22. stand — to bear
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stock — goods

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