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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. track — to keep track
  8. row — to paddle
  9. craft — boats
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. track — a path
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. track — a song
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mate — a friend
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ball — a great time

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