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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wind — moving air
  3. track — a song
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — shares
  9. fine — all right
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. craft — a skill
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fine — high quality
  18. track — a path
  19. craft — boats
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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