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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. track — to keep track
  3. craft — a skill
  4. tube — the underground
  5. season — in sport
  6. track — a path
  7. rest — what's left
  8. season — of the year
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. craft — boats
  12. track — a song
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. staff — a stick
  16. tube — a container
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rest — a break
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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