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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. board — to get on
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. pop — to visit
  7. snap — to click
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stock — goods
  10. craft — boats
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. track — a song
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. craft — a skill
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. track — a path
  21. pop — soda
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pop — music
  24. board — a committee

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