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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wake — a trail
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. tube — a container
  12. stock — goods
  13. bore — to drill
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bore — to tire
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — a path
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stock — shares
  21. tube — the underground
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. craft — boats
  24. wake — before a funeral

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