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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. roll — a cake
  3. land — a country
  4. land — ground
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. track — a path
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. craft — a skill
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. craft — boats
  12. land — to come down
  13. roll — a list
  14. staff — employees
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stand — to bear
  21. staff — employees
  22. track — a song
  23. staff — a stick
  24. saw — the tool

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