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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: bank · track · roll · present · stock · degree · staff · foot

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bank — for money
  3. roll — a list
  4. foot — a measure
  5. present — the time now
  6. staff — employees
  7. stock — goods
  8. degree — an amount
  9. track — a path
  10. present — there
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. degree — temperature
  13. stock — shares
  14. bank — of a river
  15. staff — employees
  16. degree — from a university
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bank — for money
  20. present — a gift
  21. track — to keep track
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. track — a song

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