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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 116 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: bear · track · scale · prune · stock · ground · stick · bay

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. scale — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. scale — size or range
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. ground — crushed
  24. prune — to trim

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