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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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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: bank · lie · track · content · bulb · stock · deal · firm

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bulb — for light
  8. track — a song
  9. bank — of a river
  10. track — to keep track
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stock — shares
  16. bank — for money
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bank — for money
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — to handle
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. stock — goods
  24. firm — steady

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