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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 · temple · rash · stand · track · ball · wave · row

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — shares
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. track — a path
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ball — a dance
  8. row — a line
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. row — to paddle
  14. track — a song
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. track — to keep track
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. stock — goods
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a great time

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