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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: cap · stock · rash · track · wake · bear · ball · cue

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. track — a path
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stock — shares
  15. cue — a signal
  16. rash — a series
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rash — hasty
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — of ice
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stock — goods

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