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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. suit — in cards
  3. craft — boats
  4. rock — music
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fork — in a road
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — a path
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rock — a stone
  15. clip — for paper
  16. track — a song
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — a video
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. track — to keep track
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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