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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: stock · cap · track · dip · rush · date · cabinet · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  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. file — a document
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stock — goods
  9. cap — a lid
  10. file — a tool
  11. cap — a hat
  12. track — a path
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — shares
  21. rush — hurry
  22. track — to keep track
  23. date — on the calendar
  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