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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: stock · track · row · board · perch · bay · toast · mouse

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. track — a song
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. row — a line
  5. board — a committee
  6. toast — bread
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. track — to keep track
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. board — to get on
  17. row — to paddle
  18. track — a path
  19. stock — shares
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stock — goods

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