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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.

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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 · stand · track · pop · coach · stock · calf · content

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. key — for a lock
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pop — to visit
  12. key — in music
  13. track — a path
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. content — the amount
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — happy
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. key — the most important part
  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