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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: mouse · deal · roll · row · can · season · track · bank

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. can — a tin
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. can — to be able to
  7. season — in sport
  8. row — a line
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — a list
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bank — for money
  15. track — a song
  16. bank — for money
  17. season — of the year
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. track — a path
  20. row — to paddle
  21. can — a tin
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bank — of a river

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