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

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. track — a path
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. stock — goods
  7. mug — to rob
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stock — shares
  12. mug — a face
  13. track — a song
  14. mine — for digging
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mug — a cup
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. track — to keep track

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