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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. track — a path
  3. wake — a trail
  4. track — to keep track
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. track — a song
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. craft — boats
  16. rash — a series
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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