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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. suit — in cards
  3. field — farmland
  4. craft — boats
  5. current — of water
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. field — a subject
  9. current — happening now
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. track — to keep track
  12. row — a line
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — to paddle
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. field — for sport
  20. current — electric
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. track — a path
  24. rule — a law

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