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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: fan · mark · pitch · date · chair · vault · stock · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ 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. stock — shares
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. stock — goods
  10. mark — a grade
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. track — to keep track
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. track — a path
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. date — the fruit
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mark — a trace

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