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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. chip — to eat
  3. track — to keep track
  4. firm — a company
  5. track — a song
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. firm — steady
  11. stock — shares
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. firm — decided
  14. stock — goods
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. drill — army training
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. track — a path
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. drill — the tool

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