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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: can · track · stock · branch · pitcher · roll · drill · bore

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. track — a path
  4. roll — a list
  5. stock — shares
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — army training
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stock — goods
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. branch — a division
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. can — a tin
  22. roll — a cake
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bore — gave birth

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