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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: mark · roll · wax · deal · race · stock · bowl · band

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mark — a trace
  5. band — a ring
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. roll — a list
  8. deal — to handle
  9. race — humankind
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mark — a grade
  14. stock — shares
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stock — goods
  19. band — a music group
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. roll — a cake
  24. race — a contest

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