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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 120 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: stock · key · board · track · ball · patient · wax · pit

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. track — a song
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stock — shares
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wax — to grow
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ball — a dance
  13. track — a path
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stock — goods
  16. board — a committee
  17. pit — in a race
  18. track — to keep track
  19. key — in music
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ball — a great time

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