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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: stock · cabinet · cell · saw · track · mouse · toast · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stock — shares
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cell — in biology
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stock — goods
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. toast — bread
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. track — a path
  24. toast — the most admired

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