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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 120 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 · bowl · racket · field · ball · stock · bank · dip

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stock — goods
  3. bank — for money
  4. stock — shares
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — for money
  8. track — a path
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ball — a great time
  11. field — for sport
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. field — a subject
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. field — farmland
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bank — of a river
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. track — to keep track
  24. ball — a dance

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