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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: track · bank · rush · perch · bound · stock · deal · foot

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. track — a path
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — of a river
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bank — for money
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stock — goods
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stock — shares
  14. track — a song
  15. bank — for money
  16. bound — obliged
  17. foot — a measure
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bound — tied together
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bound — certain
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. foot — the bottom

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