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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: date · stand · rock · arm · bay · bat · track · bank

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. track — a path
  3. track — a song
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rock — music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bank — of a river
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rock — a stone

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