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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. craft — boats
  4. stock — goods
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. track — a path
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. suit — in cards
  10. track — a song
  11. season — of the year
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. season — in sport
  14. ground — crushed
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — a position
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stock — shares
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ground — the earth
  24. craft — a skill

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