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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chip · stock · drill · track · wax · press · bass · can

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bass — low music
  5. drill — army training
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stock — goods
  9. can — to be able to
  10. track — a path
  11. stock — shares
  12. press — a publisher
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. can — a tin
  15. press — to push
  16. bass — the fish
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — newspapers
  19. drill — the tool
  20. track — to keep track
  21. can — a tin
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. chip — in a computer

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