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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: present · stock · land · racket · bear · current · wake · track

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. land — a country
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. track — a path
  8. present — a gift
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. land — to come down
  16. bear — the animal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. track — a song
  20. stock — goods
  21. land — ground
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — a trail
  24. current — electric

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