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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 116 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: stock · hide · pass · mate · track · calf · board · perch

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pass — a permit
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. stock — shares
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. track — a song
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mate — a friend
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mate — a partner
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stock — goods

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