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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 116 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: key · present · branch · track · bass · rash · stock · sharp

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stock — goods
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. present — the time now
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stock — shares
  11. key — the most important part
  12. present — there
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rash — a series
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bass — the fish
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. present — a gift
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. track — a song
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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