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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: stand · bay · saw · stock · racket · ruler · track · wind

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stock — goods
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. track — a path
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stand — to bear
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wind — moving air
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — shares
  16. wind — moving air
  17. track — to keep track
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. track — a song
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. saw — the tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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