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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: track · bat · stock · stand · race · hide · press · toast

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bat — the animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. track — to keep track
  6. press — newspapers
  7. race — a contest
  8. stand — to bear
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — goods
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. race — humankind
  13. press — to push
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. toast — bread
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. track — a path
  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