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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. track — a path
  7. stock — shares
  8. pop — to visit
  9. track — a song
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pop — soda
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pop — music
  18. rest — a break
  19. mark — a trace
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. stand — to bear
  23. court — of law
  24. stock — goods

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