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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: ball · stick · stock · kid · band · bear · track · rock

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. track — a path
  5. rock — a stone
  6. band — a ring
  7. stock — shares
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. ball — a dance
  12. track — to keep track
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. kid — child
  15. track — a song
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ball — a great time
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stock — a soup base

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