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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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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 · snap · rest · mate · track · pitch · fork · bank

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. track — to keep track
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rest — a break
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mate — to breed
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. track — a song
  11. bank — for money
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stock — goods
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. stock — shares
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bank — for money
  22. track — a path
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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