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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · chip · chest · mouse · bark · track · stock · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chip — for betting
  3. track — a path
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. suit — in cards
  6. perch — the fish
  7. track — a song
  8. stock — goods
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stock — shares
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chest — a box
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bark — to shout
  23. track — to keep track
  24. perch — for a bird

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