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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 116 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: bank · chip · saw · track · stock · tear · mark · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stock — goods
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. track — a path
  10. tear — to rip
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mark — a grade
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bank — of a river
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stand — to bear
  21. tear — from crying
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stock — shares
  24. track — a song

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