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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rush — hurry
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wind — moving air
  9. object — to protest
  10. stock — goods
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. track — a path
  15. craft — boats
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stock — shares
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. object — a thing
  23. craft — a skill
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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