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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: game · field · key · ruler · stock · pitch · bank · track

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bank — for money
  3. stock — goods
  4. track — to keep track
  5. field — for sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. track — a path
  8. pitch — completely
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — a subject
  14. track — a song
  15. key — in music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. key — the most important part
  21. field — farmland
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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