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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
468
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: mine · hide · stock · spell · toast · track · bank · snap

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. spell — letters
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stock — goods
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mine — for digging
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. track — a song
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bank — for money
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bank — for money
  17. snap — to click
  18. spell — magic
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stock — shares
  21. toast — bread
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — a short time
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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