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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. track — a path
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. craft — a skill
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. track — a song
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mark — a grade
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bass — low music
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mark — a trace
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. suit — in cards
  24. toast — the most admired

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