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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: hide · stock · safe · track · mark · dip · chest · hand

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stock — shares
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — a song
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chest — of your body
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chest — a box
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — help
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chest — of your body
  24. track — a path

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