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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: stick · net · dip · stand · rush · bank · track · nail

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bank — for money
  7. stand — to bear
  8. net — for catching
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bank — for money
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. net — after costs
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. track — a song
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. net — in sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. track — to keep track

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