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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. craft — a skill
  3. board — to get on
  4. track — to keep track
  5. key — in music
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a committee
  8. track — a song
  9. key — the most important part
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. net — in sport
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. net — after costs
  18. track — a path

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