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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: track · sharp · stock · straw · firm · rash · snap · cap

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — goods
  4. cap — a hat
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cap — of ice
  8. snap — to click
  9. sharp — clever
  10. firm — a company
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cap — a lid
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. track — a song
  17. stock — shares
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rash — hasty
  20. track — a path
  21. firm — decided
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. firm — steady

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