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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: coach · stock · bass · mug · rash · track · key · cabinet

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. key — in music
  5. rash — hasty
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mug — a cup
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. track — a path
  11. stock — goods
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. key — for a lock
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bass — low music
  19. track — to keep track
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stock — shares
  22. rash — a series
  23. mug — a face
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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