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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: bank · pass · stock · wake · drill · ball · mouse · season

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stock — shares
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bank — for money
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. season — of the year
  14. stock — goods
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. season — in sport
  19. bank — for money
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stock — a soup base
  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