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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: track · stick · foot · pop · race · lash · firm · stock

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. firm — a company
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. track — to keep track
  5. firm — steady
  6. race — a contest
  7. pop — music
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. track — a path
  11. firm — decided
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stock — goods
  18. pop — soda
  19. stock — shares
  20. race — the arms race
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. foot — a measure
  23. race — humankind
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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