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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bank — for money
  3. track — to keep track
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. track — a song
  7. stock — goods
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bank — for money
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. craft — a skill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stock — shares
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wake — a trail
  22. fork — in a road
  23. track — a path
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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